Company drivers are proving their green credentials, with seven out of 10 saying they are prepared to pay to become carbon neutral.

And of those happy to put their hands in their pockets, 64% said an annual fee of £40 or more was a price worth paying to offset their vehicle's emissions.

The findings were from an online survey by Leasedrive Velo, which received over 1,000 responses from company car drivers.

It confirmed that the environment appeared to be a major consideration.

However, while the 'credit crunch' may have distracted attention away from the green agenda, the two issues are intrinsically linked for the fleet industry.

Going green and saving money are intrinsically linked especially in areas of company car taxation, with vehicle excise duty, BiK and capital allowances linked to CO2 emissions.

With 87% of respondents saying a vehicle's CO2 emissions would influence the choice of their next company car, drivers appear to understand the advantages.

"Clearly, company car drivers are more aware than ever before of their green responsibilities and are not only willing to trade down next time to a company car with lower CO2 emissions, but are also prepared to back this up by becoming carbon neutral drivers," said Roddy Graham, commercial director at Leasedrive Velo Group.

Of the drivers surveyed, only 1% was currently using a hybrid, but 10% said they would now opt for such a vehicle, with 2% happy to choose biofuel and 1% electric.

However, the vast majority - 68% - said they would stick with diesel, while 19% wanted to continue with a petrol vehicle.

Alex Goodwin, transport advice manager at the Energy Saving Trust, said: “Research commissioned by the Energy Saving Trust found when buying a car nine in 10 people - 89% - want environmental features brought to their attention.

"And if everyone who buys a new car chooses the greenest car in its class a typical motorist could save £375 a year in fuel costs, or nearly £1bn for all UK motorists.”