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Councils meeting environmental targets could help Britain's ailing car industry. Local authority fleet-buyers have been snapping up Toyota's hybrid Prius cars in record numbers, as part of their commitment to cutting CO2 emissions. The car has also found favour with communities secretary, Hazel Blears, who uses one as her ministerial car. Toyota UK confirmed to The MJ that the model was only one of two in its range where sales had increased on the previous year. Demand had been so high that the company had struggled to meet supply. Public sector fleet-buyers had been a ‘significant' part of that demand, the company said. This comes despite the deepening credit crunch, which has seen car manufacturers laying off their workforce and bid for government loans because of a slump in demand. Corby BC has become the latest authority to make the switch to the cars, which use battery power at low speeds to cut emissions, as well as a conventional engine. The council is now running two Prius for all its employees to use on official business. Orders have also been placed by Whitehall's government car service. Employees clock up 200,000 miles a year, mainly using their own vehicles, and officials hope more staff will now leave their cars at home as a result. Cllr Pat Fawcett, leader of Corby, said the council was leading the way. ‘Not only are the pool cars more environmentally friendly, but with the ever-increasing cost of fuel, they make financial sense too. ‘They are a valuable and welcomed addition to our fleet,' she said. ‘As well as helping reduce the impact of motor vehicle pollution, the cars are also very quiet to drive and will, therefore, reduce noise pollution too. ‘It is good that we have taken a positive decision to go for hybrid vehicles.'

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BUSINESS

Green fleet-buyers aid UK car industry

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