Motorists Cut Back on Journeys as Car Costs Continue to Soar

Posted on May 15, 2012 by admin

As the cost of motoring continues to test the pockets of most drivers in the UK, a survey by one leading British company suggests almost 50% of drivers are now cutting down on journeys.

The report from the Post Office says customers are becoming increasingly worried about their motoring future and are looking for ways to cut their costs. The survey questioned over 2,000 motorists and showed that 46% of drivers now use their cars less than they did 12 months ago. 1 in 3 drivers interviewed said they now actively look for petrol stations with cheaper fuel while 1 in 4 say they drive slower to make their fuel go further.

When asked what their greatest concerns were, most drivers answered that fuel costs were the biggest single issue, but motor insurance and the number of drivers without car insurance also figured highly, as did the state of the UK’s roads. It seems that most drivers are now equally aware of the on-costs as much as the direct costs associated with owning a car. The survey went on to ask drivers what would top their wish list and once again there were few surprises. Most said they would like cheaper fuel and tougher action taken against drivers without motor insurance, however, over 1 in 5 said they would also like to see the legal driving age raised from 17.
A spokesman for the Post Office said “For many drivers, their car is their lifeline and many people rely on their car every day. With approximately 405 trips made by every driver each year and with the cost of fuel jumping 52% in the last five years, it is not surprising that motorists are becoming increasingly worried about rising fuel prices and the general cost of running their car.”

Economics Driving Consumers to Car Showrooms

Posted on April 19, 2012 by admin

Motorists in the UK are increasingly looking to purchase car insurance on vehicles with low carbon emissions and economic usage of fuel.

That is the outcome of a report from the industry leading Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The report shows that new cars with their technological advances are becoming more popular with consumers, and it is down to the modern day cost of motoring. According to SMMT almost half of all new cars sold last year had emissions of less than 130 grams per kilometre; just four years ago only 10% of cars could boast of being so clean. The figure of 130 is key to the industry as European Union regulations demand that all cars emit no more than 130 g/km by 2015. At the moment the average new car in the UK emits 138g/kg but designers are now confident that the target will be met.

It is not clean emissions though that is foremost in motorists’ minds when they buy a new car, it is economics. The new breed of cars can easily give drivers over 50 miles to the gallon and with fuel prices obstinately staying at record levels it is this factor that is driving prospective buyers to the car showrooms. John Madslien from the BBC summed it up by saying: “New or nearly new cars are now so frugal that, with the currently high petrol and diesel prices, switching from old, thirsty models often pays for itself. Both fleet and private car buyers realise this, so demand for fuel efficient cars has soared. Given the close link between reduced fuel consumption and emission reductions, the result has been a big step towards an envisaged future of low carbon motoring.”

Interestingly enough the report shows that zero emission cars are still having very little bearing on the race to cut emissions, as only just over 1% of new cars are carbon free.

Chancellor Shows No Pity For Motorists

Posted on March 22, 2012 by admin

Motorists across the UK will have been disappointed yesterday when Chancellor George Osborne announced the Budget to his fellow MP’s in the Houses of Parliament.

It was hoped that Mr Osborne’s budget would offer some relief to motorists who are experiencing higher fuel costs and motor insurance quotes than ever before. However, it now seems that the lobby on Parliament by thousands of motorists supporting the Fair Fuel campaign had little impression on the Chancellor, as he announced a further increase on fuel duty will go ahead in August. The announcement was met with fury by all UK motoring organisations as well as private motorists, and President of the AA, Edmund King, spoke for many when he said the following:

“At a time of record prices at the pumps, the August increase in duty is a budget blow-out which will force drivers off the road and could bring a summer of discontent for many. We have heard much about tax allowances but the increase in fuel duty makes no allowance for car-dependent, rural and disabled drivers. Only last week the Prime Minister told American students that UK fuel prices would make them ’faint’, yet the Government seems intent on inflicting more pain for no gain on drivers. Ironically such a hike in duty doesn’t necessarily help Government finances as people will cut spending at the pumps and in shops, and it could fuel inflation.”

Mr King’s warning of a summer of discontent may well be a reference to the action taken by motorists several years ago when oil refineries were blockaded by irate motorists as petrol and diesel prices soared. They did not reach the level they are at today though, and the hundreds of thousands of motorists who supported the Fair Fuel Campaign over the last few months may well be willing to support action to make the Government think again about their taxation policies.

Driving for pleasure becoming too expensive

Posted on January 31, 2012 by admin

A survey carried out by leading motor insurance providers shows that more motorists than ever are worried about the rising cost of keeping a car on the road.

A survey of over 1000 motorists revealed that most drivers have prepared themselves for a dramatic reduction in their motoring if fuel prices continue to escalate. If fuel reaches £2 per litre 20% said they would stop using their car completely while another 10% said it would be at this point when they would look to change to the new breed of electric vehicles.

The news is not surprising really when one considers that the price of fuel has already doubled since the start of the century and the cost of living generally has rocketed over the last couple of years. The survey also revealed that driving for fun will soon be a thing of the past. Almost 70% said that they used their car socially, visiting friends, sightseeing and meeting up with relatives, but 35% said they would stop doing this when fuel hit the £1.50 a litre mark. There is every chance fuel will hit the £1.50 mark this summer with more fuel duty rises planned by the Government and political unrest in the Middle East threatening cuts in supplies.

A spokesman for the insurers said: “The survey clearly shows the pressure motorists are feeling on their finances. We know from our customers how keen they are to for us to offer a competitive premium and we have sold nearly a million policies in the last year. Taking the right actions – reducing mileage and driving safely – can help motorists cut the cost of their car insurance and their fuel bills, but ultimately motorists cannot and will not keep be able to keep on paying higher and higher petrol prices.”

Running a vehicle is getting no cheaper

Posted on November 25, 2011 by admin

Research carried out by a leading motoring group shows that motorists are not just being hit by soaring fuel prices; they have also seen a rapid increase in the cost of premiums on a motor insurance quote, higher garage repair fees and a fall in the resale value of their vehicles.

This all means that drivers are now paying 14% more than they did a year ago to run their vehicle. And the huge increase is almost three times the rate of inflation. The RAC figures show that the average motorist is now paying £6,700 each year in motoring costs, compared with £5,990 last November. The data will intensify pressure on George Osborne to scrap the two planned increases in fuel next year which, if confirmed will add another seven pence to a litre of unleaded.

Car insurance quotes have gone up by 14.5% with the average premium reaching £551. Motorists have found that they have to pay for the rising number of personal injury claims, insurance fraud and accidents which are caused by an uninsured driver. However, the research shows that drivers know it is not just down to the Coalition Government. Oil companies need to be more transparent over pricing so that everyone knows where the money they pay for fuel is going.

Adrian Tink, the RAC’s motoring strategist, said “With the annual cost of motoring approaching seven thousand pounds the price burden of car ownership is hitting drivers hard. The increase is crippling drivers’ wallets and something has to be done to stem the tide. With fuel prices continuing to be the biggest single running cost, UK drivers want action from the Government. At the very least, we are calling for the scrapping of next year’s planned fuel duty increases. Further increases to fuel prices are simply a step too far.”

Statistics prove that speed cameras are saving lives

Posted on November 7, 2011 by admin

Police in Warwickshire claim that data collected over a number of years and published this week backs up their view that fixed speed cameras have had a positive impact on both traffic speed and road casualties since they were first introduced a decade ago.

The speed camera survey was a joint operation by Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire Police and the data includes the number of collisions and casualties at each of the fixed camera sites in the borough. It also includes the traffic speeds and how many offences have been committed at each camera location. Speed cameras were first introduced in Warwickshire ten years ago at a time when any driver car insurance and fuel was much cheaper than they are today. During the last decade the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads has halved which suggest that the cameras are making a big contribution to the road safety record.

County Cllr Richard Hobbs, who is responsible for community protection, said “We’re pleased to be publishing the casualty and speed data for all of our fixed speed cameras. Protecting the community and making Warwickshire a safer place to live is a key priority for the council and road safety forms an important element of our work in this area. Speed cameras are not universally popular, but as this data shows their use has brought significant safety benefits to Warwickshire’s road users and communities.”

Despite the fact that the speed cameras have reduced casualties, excessive and inappropriate speed is still a significant cause of collisions on the roads of the county. Warwickshire Police say a large number of motorists are still showing a disregard for the safety of not just themselves but other road users by breaking the speed limits.

Cabbies lead the way in fuel saving experiment

Posted on September 19, 2011 by admin

A challenge issued to a small group of taxi drivers from cities across the UK has highlighted just how much drivers can save in fuel if they adopt good driving habits.

The trial which was headed by the Shell Company recruited 18 cab drivers from various cities and asked them to try and cut their fuel usage by 10% over the course of one month. Fourteen of the drivers had computers installed in their cabs to monitor their driving patterns while the remaining four were to left to their own devices in a bid to see if the drivers who had to make a concentrated effort would match the performance of the others.

Much to the delight of the scientists leading the experiment the taxi drivers managed on average to cut their fuel consumption by 20%, double the target originally set. Shell now plan to convey the results of the survey to motorists across the country saying that motorists can save over £500 a year, around the average figure of a motor insurance quote, just by simply turning down the air conditioning and not carrying unnecessary items in the boot. Braking too hard and over revving the engine are also detrimental to performance and the cab drivers managed to eradicate such bad habits over the four week period.

Melanie Lane, a general manager at Shell’s retail arm in the UK, said “We know fuel prices are high right now so it’s important that we help people save fuel and money. We’re pleased to see that our drivers have taken the challenge so seriously and on average have doubled our expected fuel reduction target. We hope this campaign can show that if cabbies can do it, all drivers can become smarter, more fuel-efficient and see the impact on their pocket.”

Increasing number of motorists choosing to leave their cars at home

Posted on June 22, 2011 by admin

Drivers throughout a Lancashire town are following other areas of the UK by giving up their vehicles due to petrol prices. A survey by local paper The Bolton News found motorists are either driving less or selling and switching to a cheaper form of transport.

The news confirms the recent report by breakdown company, Green Flag, whose own survey found two in ten drivers were taking their cars off the road. They also say there has been a 40% increase in fuel related breakdown call outs as motorists are trying to make their fuel go further by driving as far as possible despite the fuel tank showing empty. The problem looks set to get worse as fuel prices are showing no signs of going down in price, in fact they are more likely to increase. With the new law now in place which demands all vehicles need to be insured regardless of whether or not it is used, motorists are now selling their vehicle instead of not using it and keeping it in the garage. This way they can also save money by finding cheap car insurance.

Driver Brian Tonge from Farnworth said: “We have taken one car off the road and we are looking around for a more economical car to replace the one we are left with. We think twice before using the car now because of petrol prices. I have never been a fast driver, but I have noticed that other cars are driving slower these days, possibly to save on fuel.”

In Bolton, the highest price for unleaded is 143.9, with diesel at 148.9 and now Bolton MPs are calling on the Coalition Government to act quickly on fuel tax. When fuel prices went above £1, the former Labour Government was hammered by both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. However, with prices now heading towards £1.50 per litre the coalition are saying it has nothing to do with them.

Parking meters not ready for change

Posted on May 6, 2011 by admin

Motoring organisations across the country are reporting that members are inundating them with complaints about local authorities making money out of drivers by installing no change parking meters.

The plight of drivers in the Lancashire town of Preston is typical of what motorists across the UK are experiencing. According to figures gained by a local paper on a freedom of information request, Preston council makes £4,500 solely by the installation of parking meters that do not give change to drivers. Four car parks in the town centre have meters that don’t give change and motorists already hit by fuel price hikes and seemingly ever rising motor vehicle insurance quotes are incensed by the disclosure.

A spokesman for the AA, Paul Watters, said it was not just motorists in Preston; it was the same all over the country “Drivers feel ripped off at the pumps and ripped off in these car parks. It’s something that helps drive up revenue for councils. They won’t let you transfer your ticket to someone else if there is time left on it, either. It’s taking a bit of a liberty.” He went on to say it would be fairer if there was an alternative way to pay the exact fee.

A council spokesperson said the council policy was clearly defined and readily seen by motorists wanting to use the parks explaining: “All of our ticket machines clearly state that they are unable to give change, and that users should have the exact change so that they do not overpay for parking.”

Councils are installing no change machines because they are less expensive than those that actually return excess input, however, according to the British Parking Association any excess moneys obtained must be ploughed back into local transport or parking schemes.

Norfolk businesses struggling with sky high fuel costs

Posted on March 9, 2011 by admin

Fuel prices have increased by close to 15% in fewer than 12 months and have now reached a record high, with the average price for a litre of unleaded throughout the United Kingdom now at 130.68p and diesel even more expensive at 136.14p.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, announced yesterday a plan to reduce the duty on fuel by 5p in both island and remote communities. But this is of no help at all to people in Norfolk as the only ones to benefit are those in the Highlands, the Hebrides and Scilly Isles. Mr Alexander claims the discount is to help families who generally pay higher fuel prices because of their outlying locations. But AA president Edmund King feels the fuel duty reductions should be across the board.

In Norwich there are many businesses and organisations who are now really struggling. Driving schools have all reluctantly had to increase the price of lessons because of the price of fuel. They may also have to put an extra charge on learners who live outside the city. A charity who provide affordable transport for over 500 disabled people in the city are already £5,000 over budget on fuel for the last eleven months.

One of the hardest hit areas is the taxi trade. In Norwich taxi drivers have noticed a large drop in customers as the mileage rates go up. The latest increase in fuel prices and the increase in premiums each year on a motor insurance quote has left them with little option but to increase prices but they are suffering for it.

Duncan Snelling, of Jarrett’s Removals and Storage, said “The costs have been detrimental to the business. We work in a very competitive market where the cheapest is chosen. We just can’t put prices up in line with fuel. We have looked into more fuel-efficient vehicles, but that was not cost-effective as an upgrade to each vehicle will cost approximately £4,000.”