"No one will sanction a digital radio switchover if they believe cars will not be ready."

Speaking at the annual conference of electrical retailers' association Retra, Ford Ennals, chief executive of Digital Radio UK, called the move to convert the nation's car owners to digital radio listening critical to achieving a firm switchover date.

The Government has asked the motor industry to fit digital radios in cars by the end of 2013, he said, and, as a Digital Radio UK colleague pointed out later, motor manufacturer Ford has already announced it will line-fit digital radios as standard by the end of 2012.

The direction of travel is clear, Mr Ennals said. It is really a case of 'when' not 'if' the UK achieves a digital radio switchover. "Digital is the future of radio."

A report of the Retra conference will appear in the next issue of ERT magazine.