Rocketing fuel bills are forcing motorists off the roads
New figures published today showing that petrol sales are at their lowest since records began are the firmest evidence yet that motorists are being priced off the roads.
Rocketing fuel bills hit motorists in the rural West particularly hard as they face the double whammy of longer journeys to work and shops, and have generally inadequate public transport alternatives.
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In the 23 years the Government has publicly tracked petrol sales, the January figure of 1.465 billion litres is the lowest recorded.
It is 14 million litres down on the previous all-time low set in March last year and nearly 100 million below December’s consumption of 1.564 billion.
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The AA said UK diesel consumption also fell in January, down to 1.923 billion litres for cars, haulage and other uses.
However, this is still higher than the all-time lows of January 2009 and 2010, when widespread and extended periods of heavy snow cut road use.
AA president Edmund King said: “Although we had a disruptive period of snow between January 18 and 25, the impact of the weather was nothing like that suffered during the January of 2010.”
He made his remarks as the AA published research into average fuel prices. It showed the plunging pound and stock market speculation are driving another sharp hike in the cost of petrol. After surging 5p a litre over a month, the price of petrol at the pumps has gone up a further 1p in the last five days, the AA said.
It revealed that the average cost of petrol in the UK is now 138.32p a litre, with diesel having risen 4.78p from its mid-January price to stand at an average of 145.10p.
The latest figures show that petrol has risen 6.24p a litre since early January, adding £3.12 to the cost of refilling a typical 50-litre tank.
The AA said filling up the 70-litre tank of a Ford Mondeo now costs £4.37 more than six weeks ago. A two-car family’s monthly petrol cost has risen £13.25 with the current surge.
It added that drivers have been caught between the pincers of a pound weakened against the dollar and soaring wholesale prices.
The figures come a day after an Auto Trader survey showed drivers fear the cost of motoring could double to as much as £4,580 a year over the next 10 years. As many as 71 per cent of the 3,495 polled reckoned it would be difficult for young people to buy a car in the future.
More than half of 17-24 year olds believed there would be a decrease in the number of young people learning to drive over the next decade.
Mr King said: “This is the third 10p-a-litre wholesale price surge in 11 months, given extra vigour by currency speculators betting against the pound.”
He urged Chancellor George Osborne to recognise the difficulties faced by motorists in the forthcoming budget.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander gave vague hope to campaigners on the mainland that a fuel discount scheme available on some UK islands could be rolled-out to remote areas.
On a visit to Cornwall Mr Alexander said he was thinking about lobbying the European Commission over the issue.
It is nearly a year since the 5p off a litre of fuel discount scheme in the Scilly Islands was unveiled and if Mr Alexander is successful in Europe, remote parts of the West Country could, in the long-term, benefit.
4 Comments
by Malcolm12
Friday, February 22 2013, 11:32PM
“This does assume that fuel efficiency has remained constant throughout the last 23 years, that the number of vehicles on the road hasn't changed and that the increased fuel price is the only reason that people may be driving less.”
by PeterL
Friday, February 22 2013, 11:11AM
“I wonder if this article is right! Yes fuel sales have gone down and yes fuel prices have gone up, so far so good. But so often when discussing these things the real problem is ignored.
We have to cut fuel usage in order to cut CO2 emissions. We have to cut CO2 emissions in order to limit Climate Change. We have to limit climate change in order to safeguard our future. Our future is actually in a certain amount of jeopardy. So far within recent living memory we have had the driest period, the wettest period and the hottest period, farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to plan their crops, Highways are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain our roads and government to fund our flood defences. Meanwhile, slowly, and largely ignored by the powers that be, the sea level is rising.
Us, us people, we do actually know what is going on and what is needed; we drive less, we drive slower, we cycle more and we walk more. This also lowers fuel sales and long may it do so.
Well done everybody who has broken their driving habit and may the rest soon join us.
Cheers
Peter Lansdown
Secretary
South Somerset Green Party”
by nigant
Friday, February 22 2013, 10:36AM
“If everyone supported fairfuel.com, signed the petition that urges this inane government to reduce fuel tax, then something might happen. They have given the figures to all MPs, but they are too dense to see and so we are in the situation where they are getting less and less revenue, which means that they behave like most bad businessmen, they put up the price and the duty to cover the loss, hence forcing people to use less again!
Pensioners are being forced to give up seeing their families, if they live a distance away, their social lives are ruined and they have to stay stuck at home. In rural areas, like Somerset, a car is not a luxury, as it is to the ruling elite, it is a necessity.
Businesses depend on cars, vans and lorries and a great deal of the cost of everything is fuel, but it would seem our useless masters don't seem to understand that, so we need to show them. Just log onto fairfuel.com and have a read, it might surprise you! Do it now while you are on line, then make a pain of yourself with you MP. Fortunately Tessa Munt supports Fair Fuel and has been very active in fighting for some common sense, common sense and the House of Commons are virtual strangers!”
by nigant
Friday, February 22 2013, 10:34AM
“If everyone supported http://tinyurl.com/69b3ymb signed the petition that urges this inane government to reduce fuel tax, then something might happen. They have given the figures to all MPs, but they are too dense to see and so we are in the situation where they are getting less and less revenue, which means that they behave like most bad businessmen, they put up the price and the duty to cover the loss, hence forcing people to use less again!
Pensioners are being forced to give up seeing their families, if they live a distance away, their social lives are ruined and they have to stay stuck at home. In rural areas, like Somerset, a car is not a luxury, as it is to the ruling elite, it is a necessity.
Businesses depend on cars, vans and lorries and a great deal of the cost of everything is fuel, but it would seem our useless masters don't seem to understand that, so we need to show them. Just log onto http://tinyurl.com/6kjrojd and have a read, it might surprise you! Do it now while you are on line, then make a pain of yourself with you MP. Fortunately Tessa Munt supports Fair Fuel and has been very active in fighting for some common sense, common sense and the House of Commons are virtual strangers!”