Petrol sales slump as drivers stay at home
Drivers in the South West will reduce their car use to a greater extent than motorists from any other part of England next year, a new survey suggests.
Figures reveal petrol sales slumped in the first nine months of 2011 and are poised to fall further this year with motorists being forced to think twice about making journeys because of the high price of fuel.
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The AA said sales at the pumps between January and September totalled 13.9 billion litres compared with 14.9 billion litres during the same period in 2010.
In the pre-recession period of January-September 2008 the figure stood at 16.3 billion.
According to an AA/Populus survey of more than 20,000 AA members, nearly 40 per cent said they would either drive more economically or drive less often in 2012.
The AA said it was less well off drivers who planned to be more economical with petrol.
While drivers in the South West and Northern Ireland
appeared more determined to cut back, motorists in London were shown to be the least likely to reduce time behind the wheel.
Paul Watters, head of public affairs at the AA, said only the better-off would be able to afford to drive without financial hindrance.
He said: “Drivers are clearly being forced into cutting their motoring by the high price of fuel and, for many, this will impose difficult constraints on their lives.
“We have reached the stage where motoring is once again only easily affordable for the better off and, with the car still the mainstay means of travel for the majority, that is depressing news to start 2012.
“The impact of high fuel prices on ordinary drivers is staggering, with just over a quarter of those choosing a New Year resolution saying they would drive more economically and a further 10 per cent intending to drive less.
“This far exceeded the 12 per cent going for road safety-related resolutions, perhaps because the cost of motoring threatens the way they live their lives.”
In a separate piece of research it was revealed that last year West drivers travelled 165 fewer miles than in the previous year. Petrol station trade body RMI Petrol and Experian Catalist found total fuel consumption by road transport in the UK declined 3 per cent last year to 33.5 billion litres. The drop is equivalent to 30 litres less for each of Britain’s 34 million vehicles – enough fuel for a 165-mile journey.
Brian Madderson chairman of RMI Petrol, is calling for fuel taxation to be “reformed”.
7 Comments
by deejaytee
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 7:13PM
“@tesco2010
I don't know what Tesco has done to upset you; don't forget Sainsbury, ASDA, Waitrose, Aldi Lidl,et al. They all have the same ambition: to kill off opposition and reign victorious.
BTW. please check your spelling as you have fallen into an all-to-common trap of the poor education rife in this country in recent years. The word 'loose' is the opposite of 'tight'. The word you should have used is 'lose', the opposite of 'find'.”
by pete_m
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 7:03PM
“This apparent "news" must not and will not affect the wonderful decision to build the bypass. This apparent fall is due to the recession, which is TEMPORARY, and that is all.”
by neeneeoil
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 6:57PM
“Will this affect the decision to build the Kingskerswell Bypass?”
by tesco2010
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 10:43AM
“Government Minister have tow jobs:
One is ruining the Country and all it's finances.
The other is Investing in what companies are coming to ruin your area.”
by Yesboy1
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 10:33AM
“cant believe that use as reduced. still get old bangers clogging up the roads when im driving . the sooner these people are off the roads the better!!”
by tesco2010
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 10:32AM
“There are seven stores where i live. Tescos cash pipeline sucking all local money out of your area. You wait and see. Local propaganda campaigns after stores are launched to undercut everyone else. Once they destroy your local shops they introduce automated machines too. Unemployment will hit an all time high as local shops and business are buried under the coruption that is tescos stores. I really can't understand the logic of the brainwashed/conditioning that these people have had done through the media. If you have a person who's got all the property on the monopoly board they don't ever loose. Local trades prepare to loose you money because tescos diversify into everything. Plumbing/boilers.tryes/roofing/blue circle cement now owened by tescos.Your all being penned in like sheep. Alll your money will go to the fuel stations that tesco own...WHY PAY MORE on their lorries. Take it from me they are not the cheepest either they inflate are prices. Councilers and ministers sat looking pretty laughing at their money once again filling their bank accounts. Every little helps tescos to DESTROY US ALL. FACT.
Look at the state of poor old Plymouth high street shops. Another successful killing by Tescos. Shoveling truck loads of YOUR LOCAL cash into their cash vaults. Not one tescos destroying you by about 10 stores. Fight for your City and get rid of the paracites supermarkets. Tescos killling every persons future or dening what could or should have been a prosperus future for us all.”
by Redskys
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 8:31AM
“So oil companies will increase the fuel price of a barrel and the government will increase some other form of tax to get back the lost revenue and thus the cycle continues...Yawn..”