Lorry drivers will receive training in eco-driving, which could save up to 3 million tons of CO2 over five years and £300m ($447.9m) in fuel costs, UK Transport Minister Paul Clark has said.

Proposals include making eco-driver training for LGV drivers an integral part of the EU Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC), the mandatory certificate for all professional lorry drivers.

Clark said the road freight sector were responsible for 20% of the greenhouse gas emissions and that the UK government were committed to reducing this figure.

“With initiatives like this I am confident we will succeed in creating a greener and cleaner industry fit to meet the environmental challenges we face,” Clark said.

A 16-week consultation will look at options to impart eco-driver training to 90% of lorry drivers and will also consider the possibility of making the training a mandatory part of bus drivers CPC.

The initiative also supports a commitment by the UK department for transport to save an additional 85 million tons of CO2 from domestic transport from 2018-2022.