DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott has pledged his support for the car's vital role in future transport policy. Speaking just weeks before the planned publication of the Government's transport white paper - which many fear will bring swingeing taxes for motorists and particularly company car drivers - Prescott said the car would continue to have an important part to play.

The challenge was for motor manufacturers and fuel companies to make it possible to use cars while keeping the environmental impact as low as possible. He added that the choices made by companies, and individual drivers, today could have a real impact on the future environmental health of the UK and beyond.

Replying to green hecklers who interrupted his opening of a green vehicle exhibition in Chester with cries that 'no car could ever be green', Prescott said that to support the development of new car technology was not 'anti-environment'. He told European transport and environment ministers gathered in Chester at the weekend to discuss future policy issues that such developments were necessary to enable the motor car to evolve and change to meet the needs of the future.