Drivers are being battered by expensive costs and it appears that no one is doing anything to help.
The cost of living crisis has hit everyone hard, with million struggling to heat their homes, stock their cupboards and fill up their tanks.
Millions of drivers are being hammered by expensive motoring costs
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While fuel prices are no longer at their record levels seen last year, drivers are still expected to fork out almost £100 just to refuel, with van drivers – the heartbeat of the economy – bearing an even larger brunt.
A driver visiting an average petrol station around the UK can expect to pay £1.41 for petrol and £1.48 for diesel. The prices are certainly lower than at the same time last year, but they are not yet low.
Constant global issues are impacting fuel prices, but so are the greedy, major retailers who have been warned multiple times to cut the prices on forecourts or risk serious consequences.
The fact that motorway service stations have the audacity and the ability to charge an average of £1.65 and £1.75 for petrol and diesel respectively is laughable.
The cost of motoring is quickly becoming an important issue with drivers forking out thousands of pounds a year just to stay behind the wheel and go from A to B.
Data from Confused.com found that the average driver in Britain is costing motorists a gobsmacking £924 a year – a record high, and experts assume this price will rise further.
Car insurance prices have increased by £338 in just 12 months, and nothing is being done to help drivers who are already battling the cost of living crisis.
Some drivers have been quoted as much as £8,000 to insure popular electric cars for just 12 months, which has been met with disgust and disbelief at the same time.
No one is safe from these expensive prices. Recently qualified 18-year-olds will see an average insurance quote set them back almost £3,000. Middle-aged drivers will also be expected to spend £1,000 just to keep their cars insured.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper has been proactive in promising a number of measures to support British motorists, namely with the “Plan for Drivers”.
This targeted frequently criticised schemes like low traffic neighbourhoods and 20mph speed limit roads, while also hinting at the wildly controversial topics of Clean Air Zones and Sadiq Khan’s Ultra Low Emission Zone.
The Government pledged that it would support drivers, but as the cost of motoring keeps rising, people are starting to question if this was an empty promise.
And this doesn’t take into account other costs that drivers face on a yearly basis. Car tax, MOTs, repairs and improvements all add to the daunting total of owning a car going into 2024.
Politicians and climate experts want drivers to switch to electric cars and many are very keen to do so. But the upfront cost of an EV is putting drivers off, with many still costing more than £30,000.
If the price tag of new electric cars were to drop, people would be more willing to part ways with their money. Companies need to do more to lower costs and support drivers.
The same goes for the insurance industry, popular fuel retailers, garages, parking companies and the Government. Major efforts are needed to protect drivers from the expensive costs they face on a daily basis.
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Fuel prices remain unstable around the UK and between retailers
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Car ownership is quickly becoming an unaffordable option for many and millions could be left behind, especially those who are most vulnerable in society.
