An expert has told GB News that massive price increases were resulting in drivers having to give up their second cars and potentially even being forced off roads, calling the situation "depressing".
Recent research found that almost two-thirds of drivers had seen a significant increase in the amount of money they had to pay to stay behind the wheel, with insurance, tax and fuel prices all rising.
Many motorists have admitted to changing their habits in recent months to combat the price hikes, including skipping car services, considering selling their cars and even avoiding driving altogether.
Speaking to Bev Turner and Ben Leo on Britain’s Newsroom, motoring expert Amanda Stretton said drivers continue to be hammered by new schemes and rising prices, alongside the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk
Amanda Stretton said it was concerning how cost pressures were impacting motorists
GETTY/GB NEWS
She said: “Costs are rising, whether those be direct costs to them through things like insurance or petrol prices, which are still very, very high, or indirect costs, road tax is going up, road quality is going down, parking is impossible.
“It is increasingly difficult for motorists to actually see the sense in keeping two cars if they feel they can get away with one.
“It’s not so much about our autonomy and freedom, it's about the way we live our life. I live four or five miles outside of Oxford and driving in Oxford is so impossible now, either with LTNs or parking.
“I actually have not driven into Oxford for probably nearly a year and that is having a detrimental impact on business, on the way our towns and cities feel and how they operate.”
Bev Turner commented on the road rules in Oxford, saying that the Park and Ride system was “very good” but acknowledged that there were clear issues with this strategy.
She said many would be affected by these measures, including people needing to do a large amount of shopping, those in wheelchairs or parents with young children in prams.
Stretton responded, saying: “There’s a lot of people who are in a very similar situation to me that are just finding it impossible, it's actually quite depressing because it's totally changing the way we live, our environment and hurting our pockets as well.”
Similarly, Ben Leo criticised councils, slamming them for spending large amounts of money on low traffic neighbourhoods, 20mph schemes and other road measures.
He explained how he had visited Brighton recently and was charged £22 an hour for parking in a council-run car park, questioning what the “end game” was and what drivers could do to avoid being so heavily affected by the rules.
In response, Amanda Stretton said: “We can’t just swipe everyone down with the one bullet solution which is just to raise costs.
“We have to encourage people by actually providing them with a decent usable, affordable alternative and that is where we’re actually struggling at the moment.
“I certainly am not seeing huge evidence of it in my area. It is a real problem.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Car tax changes are set to be introduced next week
GETTYFrom April 1, driving costs will increase further when the rate of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rises in line with the retail price index, with some experts predicting that it could be as much as six per cent.
For owners of the most polluting petrol and diesel vehicles, they could see their costs rise by around £140 annually.