British holidaymakers would rather drive than fly to avoid environmental impact

One in five British holidaymakers say they are more likely to go on holiday by car this year because of the environmental impact of flying, research has revealed.

Twenty per cent of Britons are planning a UK break when they go away this summer and 11 per cent are intending to head off on a driving holiday to Europe because of climate change concerns, the YouGov survey for AA Personal Loans found.

Less than half were sticking to their plans to take short-haul flights to Europe (48 per cent), while 3 per cent said they had cancelled their holidays completely because of the "carbon footprint" of travel.

A quarter of Scots said they are responding to environmental concerns by going on holiday in the UK this year.

But the research found only 11 per cent of people in the South West said they were more likely to consider a holiday there to reduce their carbon footprint.

British holidaymakers are also investing in alternatives to air travel, with one in five of those planning a driving holiday in the UK looking to buy a more environmentally-friendly car in the next year.

More than a fifth (21 per cent) of those considering a driving holiday to Europe intend to purchase a more comfortable car for motorway journeys in the next 12 months.

And for holidaymakers planning a caravan trip, more efficient and environmentally-friendly diesel cars are proving popular, with 35 per cent intending to buy a diesel vehicle in the next year, compared to 27 per cent planning to purchase a petrol car.

Lloyd East, director of AA Personal Loans, said: "AA Deals on Wheels reports have shown a consistent increase in the demand for more environmentally-friendly vehicles over the last year.

"This research further exemplifies the changes people are making to their car purchase and travel plans in order to decrease their carbon footprint."

YouGov questioned 2,687 people across the UK this year for the research for AA Personal Loans.