Chris Chandler, principal consultant at the UK’s largest leasing company, Lex Autolease, said of the new tax incentives for manufacturers of low emission vehicles: “This is a positive development and should help to stimulate the fledgling market for ultra-low emissions vehicles.

“Aligning these vehicles to low taxation motoring should help persuade more fleets to use them as part of their everyday operations.”

Addressing fuel duty, he said: “Scrapping the planned rise in fuel duty is welcome news for businesses, many of which rely on a fleet of vehicles to trade, and help keep Britain’s economy moving.

“However, managing costs will continue to be a significant challenge for fleet managers, who should not forget the importance of fuel efficiency and monitoring driver behaviour.”