THIS year sees the 100th anniversary of the British motor industry.

The motor car has certainly come a long way since the early days when cumbersome vehicles were a luxury confined only to the very rich.

Nowadays cars are not so much a privilege as a necessity. There are 21 million on British roads and, with a population of 56 million, that means there is more than one car for every three people in the UK.

It is estimated that by the year 2025 there will be over 31 million cars on our roads. For most of us, life without a car is unimaginable. How would we get to work, take the kids to school, do the shopping or get to the gym without a car?

I must admit, I have been known to get in the car to make a two-minute trip to the shop and then spend 10 minutes driving round looking for somewhere to park when I could have easily walked there and back quicker.

If most of us are honest with ourselves we would prefer to use the car instead of relying on public transport, cycling or good old-fashioned walking.

But this year Friends of the Earth are hoping to persuade people to change their habits.

They are urging people to give up their cars for two days a week for a year.

Matt Gordon, from Pendle Friends of the Earth, said: "Britain is literally being choked by the number of cars on the road. This year the motor industry is holding a number of events to mark the 100th anniversary but we don't think the state of Britain's transport is something to celebrate. "Cars are a major source of air pollution, adding to the greenhouse effect as well as threatening our health and using up our natural resources.

"We are not asking people to get rid of cars completely but to try and cut down on unnecessary use by using public transport where possible, introducing car-sharing pools at work and even starting to walk or cycle."

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