The British Government has unveiled a Europe-wide anti-pollution drive which it hopes will be a hallmark of the UK's presidency of the European Union.

The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, promised action to reduce acid rain and exhaust fumes from vans and heavy lorries.

The Government also wants to push through the international agreements reached at Kyoto in Japan on reducing greenhouse gases.

Prescott: 'We want clean air to breathe'

"Across Europe we all want clean air to breathe, clean rivers and drinking water, healthy, sustainable seas around our shores, alongside continued economic prosperity," said Mr Prescott.

Last month's international agreement in Kyoto to set legally binding targets on greenhouse gases means the UK and EU must cut their levels 8% by 2010.

The Government says ways of reaching this goal will be worked out in the months ahead.

Mr Prescott is likely to speed up a package of EU clean-up measures already in the pipeline in Brussels.

Concern over a rising tide of asthma cases and other respiratory problems has prompted these measures.

Without a slowing down in the amount of carbon dioxide poured into the atmosphere, scientists warn there will be more frequent episodes of severe weather and disastrous economic results.

Commercial operators argue they should not be singled out.

"Our members don't use their vehicles for fun," said a spokesman for the Road Haulage Association, Dan Hodges.

"You very rarely see someone dropping their children off at school or going down to their local paper shop in a haulage vehicle. And we want that borne in mind when they introduce additional legislation."

Plans afoot to reduce landfills in Europe

The ambitious clean-up programme also aims to reduce the amount of rubbish buried in the European Union, encourage recycling and stop the dumping of hazardous waste.

But Labour's own environmental group questions the Government's moral authority to implement such measures.

"On transport Britain is in no position to lecture the rest of Europe nor indeed on waste generation and landfill," said Hugh Raven of the Labour Environment Campaign.

"We have a lower proportion of recyclable material than our European counterparts."

Environmental groups have welcomed the announcement but with some misgivings.

"Ministers have no specific proposals to cut carbon dioxide emissions from transport," said Lynn Sloman, Assistant Director of Transport 2000.

"They have said nothing about cutting the mammoth EU funded road-building programme in southern and eastern Europe."

The European Presidency does not allow the UK to push through unpopular or costly measures without EU approval.

But it gives the Government a great deal of influence over the European agenda.

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