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Priced off the road?
POORER drivers could be forced off the roads next year as the price of filling up looks likely to cost 14 per cent of average salaries, a damning report has warned.
This week the average cost of unleaded petrol hit a UK 20-year high, finally breaching the £5 per gallon mark.
But if motorists think things are bad now, they will be shocked by the gloomy forecast by independent price comparison website uSwitch.com.
It says unleaded is likely to reach a whopping £1.50 per litre by 2009, more than £6.80 a gallon.
This translates to £84 to fill the average car, or a wallet-busting £2,637 a year - the equivalent to 14 per cent of 2009's predicted average net salary of £19,167.98.
And as average prices hit 110.5 per litre for unleaded, more than £5 per gallon, and 120.8 per litre for diesel across Bournemouth, motorists vented their distaste at what has been dubbed "highway robbery at the pumps".
Driver Peter Gain, of Poole, said: "If these predictions are right, and lets face it, most of the predictions to date have been well short of the mark, people will be priced off the road.
"We all know about the problems at Grangemouth, but private motorists are being hit the hardest month in, month out."
Last week's two-day strike at Grangemouth oil refinery near Edinburgh caused some pumps in the north of England to run dry, and despite fuel chiefs playing down fears of a shortage, queues built up on forecourts across Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch.
Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com, said: "Unfortunately the outlook for drivers is bleak. This latest blow could be enough to force some drivers of the road altogether.
"Cash-strapped consumers are juggling price increases across all fronts.
"Drivers who are reliant on their cars for businesses or live in remote areas will be hardest hit - for them, leaving the car at home is not an option."
Poole motorist Graeme Hastings said it was high time the government cut fuel duty to ease the pressure on motorists.
He added: "This is just highway robbery at the pumps. I'm sure none of our elected members in the House of Commons will be struggling to pay their fuel bills next year."
7:00pm Friday 2nd May 2008
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CommentPosted by: HAL101, Bournemouth on 7:28pm Fri 2 May 08
We had this sort of inflation in the early years of the last century.
This century is looking rather like the last.
We had this sort of inflation in the early years of the last century.
This century is looking rather like the last.
Posted by: omegaman, Bournemouth on 8:54pm Fri 2 May 08
Nothing at all to do about inflation. It is the weak dollar and profiteering oil producing countries.In fact petrol in relation to incomes is till cheaper that it was in the 70's.
Nothing at all to do about inflation. It is the weak dollar and profiteering oil producing countries.In fact petrol in relation to incomes is till cheaper that it was in the 70's.
Posted by: Samuel Cooke, Southbourne on 11:14pm Fri 2 May 08
And we need this useless, negative, sensationalist news story why?
And we need this useless, negative, sensationalist news story why?
Posted by: PokesdownMark, Pokesdown on 8:02am Sat 3 May 08
I'm sure the same was said then petrol broke the £1 per gallon barrier.
Samuel is right - I'm really sad to see this type of story in the echo.
I'm sure the same was said then petrol broke the £1 per gallon barrier.
Samuel is right - I'm really sad to see this type of story in the echo.
Posted by: 2Much, New Forest on 9:19am Sat 3 May 08
[quote][bold]omegaman[/bold] wrote:
Nothing at all to do about inflation. It is the weak dollar and profiteering oil producing countries.In fact petrol in relation to incomes is till cheaper that it was in the 70's.[/quote] Nothing to do with tax then?..or the allowing the fat cats to rake in the profits?...
omegaman wrote:
Nothing at all to do about inflation. It is the weak dollar and profiteering oil producing countries.In fact petrol in relation to incomes is till cheaper that it was in the 70's.
Nothing to do with tax then?..or the allowing the fat cats to rake in the profits?...
Posted by: Chris McColl, Bournemouth on 10:04am Sat 3 May 08
Daily Echo in 'sensationalist hype' claim. Nothing new there. Local news has long been replaced by a daily diet of shock, horror, scandal, vacuous tosh.
Daily Echo in 'sensationalist hype' claim. Nothing new there. Local news has long been replaced by a daily diet of shock, horror, scandal, vacuous tosh.
Posted by: PETE WOODLEY on 2:08pm Sat 3 May 08
[quote][bold]PokesdownMark[/bold] wrote:
I'm sure the same was said then petrol broke the £1 per gallon barrier.
Samuel is right - I'm really sad to see this type of story in the echo.
[/quote] It gives omegaman a chance to rant on,and give out his superior knowledgeon behalf of the goverment.
PokesdownMark wrote:
I'm sure the same was said then petrol broke the £1 per gallon barrier.
Samuel is right - I'm really sad to see this type of story in the echo.
It gives omegaman a chance to rant on,and give out his superior knowledgeon behalf of the goverment.
Posted by: paul, poole on 6:33pm Sat 3 May 08
If you can afford to live in the middle of nowhere then you can afford to run a car, if you don't like it then move somewhere closer to where you work and pay the price like everyone else. You could try and play the Gov't at their own game by getting a smaller vehicle which = more MPG or get an Electric vehicle which = No Road Tax, there's plenty of options available if you're willing to think outside of the Box.
If you can afford to live in the middle of nowhere then you can afford to run a car, if you don't like it then move somewhere closer to where you work and pay the price like everyone else. You could try and play the Gov't at their own game by getting a smaller vehicle which = more MPG or get an Electric vehicle which = No Road Tax, there's plenty of options available if you're willing to think outside of the Box.
Posted by: astleyw, Bournemouth on 6:46pm Sat 3 May 08
The price of petrol has a whole raft of reasons behind it. The current price rises are partly to do with the price of a barrel of crude increasing exponentially. This price is fed to the pump, despite the record profits that oil majors are making at the moment. They argue, of course, (and there is some truth in it) that easy to extract crude oil stocks are now rapidly declining and most of the rest of the crude in the world is in politically unstable or geographically and geophysically difficult areas to extract, so there is little profit margin when the extraction price per barrel is totted up. Ultimately the price of a barrel of crude on the market is set by speculative commodity traders - they make a nice buck or two out of todays mess as well. Jitters in the market, such as a Pirate attack on a crude oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, civil unrest in the Delta Region in Nigeria, a Strike at Granegemouth, all send the speculative price of a barrel upwards. Add to that an insatiable new appetite for oil in China and India and supply and demand also push the price up. The Chancellor can and may reduce the duty on a gallon of petrol, but spare a thought for the African country where unleaded is over $18 (£9)a gallon and wonder at the subsidies that allow Venezuelans to enjoy petrol at 12 cents (6p) a gallon.
Bottom line for us, folks, is that oil is a declining commodity and the price will not be coming down anytime in the future. We had better get used to the new world order and stop complaining. Meanwhile, I am buying me a windmill!!
The price of petrol has a whole raft of reasons behind it. The current price rises are partly to do with the price of a barrel of crude increasing exponentially. This price is fed to the pump, despite the record profits that oil majors are making at the moment. They argue, of course, (and there is some truth in it) that easy to extract crude oil stocks are now rapidly declining and most of the rest of the crude in the world is in politically unstable or geographically and geophysically difficult areas to extract, so there is little profit margin when the extraction price per barrel is totted up. Ultimately the price of a barrel of crude on the market is set by speculative commodity traders - they make a nice buck or two out of todays mess as well. Jitters in the market, such as a Pirate attack on a crude oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, civil unrest in the Delta Region in Nigeria, a Strike at Granegemouth, all send the speculative price of a barrel upwards. Add to that an insatiable new appetite for oil in China and India and supply and demand also push the price up. The Chancellor can and may reduce the duty on a gallon of petrol, but spare a thought for the African country where unleaded is over $18 (£9)a gallon and wonder at the subsidies that allow Venezuelans to enjoy petrol at 12 cents (6p) a gallon.
Bottom line for us, folks, is that oil is a declining commodity and the price will not be coming down anytime in the future. We had better get used to the new world order and stop complaining. Meanwhile, I am buying me a windmill!!
Posted by: Saildog, sydney on 5:54am Sun 4 May 08
The article is 100% correct, what is so dissappointing is the responses above - not one of them has any idea about the worlds oil and energy dilemma. Petrol, food and all other oil derived products (if you think food isn't a petroleum derived product you are deluded) will continue to get more an more expensive.
The key questiion is how expensive does oil have to become before the Western economy begins to unravel?
The article is 100% correct, what is so dissappointing is the responses above - not one of them has any idea about the worlds oil and energy dilemma. Petrol, food and all other oil derived products (if you think food isn't a petroleum derived product you are deluded) will continue to get more an more expensive.
The key questiion is how expensive does oil have to become before the Western economy begins to unravel?
Posted by: John, Poole on 6:52am Sun 4 May 08
[quote][bold]Samuel Cooke[/bold] wrote:
And we need this useless, negative, sensationalist news story why?[/quote] Because it helps sell overpriced Newspapers.The Echo used to cost the equivalent of 2 pence.
Priced off the Read?!
Samuel Cooke wrote:
And we need this useless, negative, sensationalist news story why?
Because it helps sell overpriced Newspapers.The Echo used to cost the equivalent of 2 pence.
Priced off the Read?!
Posted by: mmmmmmmmmmmm, dorset on 9:48am Sun 4 May 08
It does not matter how much fuel is people will always buy it and there are still far to many vehicles on the road every single day of the week in this country there are a extra 500 vehicles being added to are roads.
last week when we had the fuel strike in scotland which was nothing to do with fuel in england petrol stations sold 50% more fuel on sat sun and mon.
The garages might as well of put the fuel up to £2 per litre they still would of sold it, also all garages run out of fuel cans because people were storing fuel i was told most of them were the over 60 age group.
So do you think fuel will ever go down in price, i dont think so the goverment now collect £185,0000 more every day compared to this time last year and where does all that money go ???.
It does not matter how much fuel is people will always buy it and there are still far to many vehicles on the road every single day of the week in this country there are a extra 500 vehicles being added to are roads.
last week when we had the fuel strike in scotland which was nothing to do with fuel in england petrol stations sold 50% more fuel on sat sun and mon.
The garages might as well of put the fuel up to £2 per litre they still would of sold it, also all garages run out of fuel cans because people were storing fuel i was told most of them were the over 60 age group.
So do you think fuel will ever go down in price, i dont think so the goverment now collect £185,0000 more every day compared to this time last year and where does all that money go ???.
Posted by: mmmmmmmmmmmm, dorset on 9:49am Sun 4 May 08
It does not matter how much fuel is people will always buy it and there are still far to many vehicles on the road every single day of the week in this country there are a extra 500 vehicles being added to are roads.
last week when we had the fuel strike in scotland which was nothing to do with fuel in england petrol stations sold 50% more fuel on sat sun and mon.
The garages might as well of put the fuel up to £2 per litre they still would of sold it, also all garages run out of fuel cans because people were storing fuel i was told most of them were the over 60 age group.
So do you think fuel will ever go down in price, i dont think so the goverment now collect £185,0000 more every day compared to this time last year and where does all that money go ???.
It does not matter how much fuel is people will always buy it and there are still far to many vehicles on the road every single day of the week in this country there are a extra 500 vehicles being added to are roads.
last week when we had the fuel strike in scotland which was nothing to do with fuel in england petrol stations sold 50% more fuel on sat sun and mon.
The garages might as well of put the fuel up to £2 per litre they still would of sold it, also all garages run out of fuel cans because people were storing fuel i was told most of them were the over 60 age group.
So do you think fuel will ever go down in price, i dont think so the goverment now collect £185,0000 more every day compared to this time last year and where does all that money go ???.
Posted by: Tricky Dicky, twixt here and rhere on 10:07am Sun 4 May 08
This is where[bold] Peak[/bold] [bold] Oil[/bold] ([bold]Wolf at[/bold] [bold]the door)[/bold] [bold]google[/bold] that one,starts to bite, and poor rural communities and pensioners and small businesses really do start to suffer. Can you imagine being trapped deep in the countryside- fuel prices are much higher in the sticks than in urban areas.
This is where
Peak Oil (
Wolf at the door) google that one,starts to bite, and poor rural communities and pensioners and small businesses really do start to suffer. Can you imagine being trapped deep in the countryside- fuel prices are much higher in the sticks than in urban areas.
Posted by: fedupwithjobsworths, Moordown on 10:53am Sun 4 May 08
[quote][bold]omegaman[/bold] wrote:
Nothing at all to do about inflation. It is the weak dollar and profiteering oil producing countries.In fact petrol in relation to incomes is till cheaper that it was in the 70's.[/quote] You forgot to mention that your con-artist leader Gordon "Turpin" Brown is the biggest profiteerer, he takes the biggest slice out of the price of petrol.
omegaman wrote:
Nothing at all to do about inflation. It is the weak dollar and profiteering oil producing countries.In fact petrol in relation to incomes is till cheaper that it was in the 70's.
You forgot to mention that your con-artist leader Gordon "Turpin" Brown is the biggest profiteerer, he takes the biggest slice out of the price of petrol.
Posted by: Carl Barron, Dorset on 11:50am Sun 4 May 08
Posted by: John, Poole on 6:52am today
[bold]Quote [/bold] Because it helps sell overpriced Newspapers. The Echo used to cost the equivalent of 2 pence.
Priced off the Read?
[bold]Reply [/bold] We can all remember when most all things were cheaper. [bold]Large fish & Chips[/bold] were just a [bold]one shilling[/bold] that's just 10 Pence [bold]in today's currency[/bold] .
[bold]Wages[/bold] were only [bold]a fraction[/bold] of what they [bold]are today[/bold] , even for skilled Men.
[bold]Retail Price's are relative to income[/bold] in most cases. I do agree that for the [bold]lower paid worker [/bold] they will most always [bold]feel the blunt[/bold] of price increases.
Many Employers used to run thier own [bold]company Bus Services[/bold] , yet this practice seems to have died out, much like our [bold]so called[/bold] Public Transport of today.
[bold]Despite[/bold] the new vast revenue streams created by Concessionary Bus Passes, bus companies are continuing to reduce services, hence [bold]low paid workers will be hit harder.[/bold]
If you [bold]cannot afford[/bold] to run a car any more you may well be [bold]forced[/bold] to get a Bus, [bold][italic]if you can find one?[/italic][/bold]
Posted by: John, Poole on 6:52am today
Quote Because it helps sell overpriced Newspapers. The Echo used to cost the equivalent of 2 pence.
Priced off the Read?
Reply We can all remember when most all things were cheaper.
Large fish & Chips were just a
one shilling that's just 10 Pence
in today's currency .
Wages were only
a fraction of what they
are today , even for skilled Men.
Retail Price's are relative to income in most cases. I do agree that for the
lower paid worker they will most always
feel the blunt of price increases.
Many Employers used to run thier own
company Bus Services , yet this practice seems to have died out, much like our
so called Public Transport of today.
Despite the new vast revenue streams created by Concessionary Bus Passes, bus companies are continuing to reduce services, hence
low paid workers will be hit harder.
If you
cannot afford to run a car any more you may well be
forced to get a Bus,
if you can find one?
Posted by: Carl Barron, Dorset on 11:51am Sun 4 May 08
Posted by: John, Poole on 6:52am today
[bold]Quote [/bold] Because it helps sell overpriced Newspapers. The Echo used to cost the equivalent of 2 pence.
Priced off the Read?
[bold]Reply [/bold] We can all remember when most all things were cheaper. [bold]Large fish & Chips[/bold] were just a [bold]one shilling[/bold] that's just 10 Pence [bold]in today's currency[/bold] .
[bold]Wages[/bold] were only [bold]a fraction[/bold] of what they [bold]are today[/bold] , even for skilled Men.
[bold]Retail Price's are relative to income[/bold] in most cases. I do agree that for the [bold]lower paid worker [/bold] they will most always [bold]feel the blunt[/bold] of price increases.
Many Employers used to run thier own [bold]company Bus Services[/bold] , yet this practice seems to have died out, much like our [bold]so called[/bold] Public Transport of today.
[bold]Despite[/bold] the new vast revenue streams created by Concessionary Bus Passes, bus companies are continuing to reduce services, hence [bold]low paid workers will be hit harder.[/bold]
If you [bold]cannot afford[/bold] to run a car any more you may well be [bold]forced[/bold] to get a Bus, [bold][italic]if you can find one?[/italic][/bold]
Posted by: John, Poole on 6:52am today
Quote Because it helps sell overpriced Newspapers. The Echo used to cost the equivalent of 2 pence.
Priced off the Read?
Reply We can all remember when most all things were cheaper.
Large fish & Chips were just a
one shilling that's just 10 Pence
in today's currency .
Wages were only
a fraction of what they
are today , even for skilled Men.
Retail Price's are relative to income in most cases. I do agree that for the
lower paid worker they will most always
feel the blunt of price increases.
Many Employers used to run thier own
company Bus Services , yet this practice seems to have died out, much like our
so called Public Transport of today.
Despite the new vast revenue streams created by Concessionary Bus Passes, bus companies are continuing to reduce services, hence
low paid workers will be hit harder.
If you
cannot afford to run a car any more you may well be
forced to get a Bus,
if you can find one?
Posted by: Sarah, Bournemouth on 11:58am Sun 4 May 08
[quote][bold]John[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Samuel Cooke[/bold] wrote: And we need this useless, negative, sensationalist news story why?[/quote] Because it helps sell overpriced Newspapers.The Echo used to cost the equivalent of 2 pence. Priced off the Read?![/quote] I dare say the reason the Echo has increased the cover price is to cover some of the inflated print and production costs - think how much you spend on a cup of coffee when you're out, do you stand at the counter and complain?....Nothing
's cheap these days. You get what you pay for and I think the Echo does a splendid job in highlighting national as well as local issues - keep up the good work Echo people.
John wrote:
Samuel Cooke wrote: And we need this useless, negative, sensationalist news story why?
Because it helps sell overpriced Newspapers.The Echo used to cost the equivalent of 2 pence. Priced off the Read?!
I dare say the reason the Echo has increased the cover price is to cover some of the inflated print and production costs - think how much you spend on a cup of coffee when you're out, do you stand at the counter and complain?....Nothing
's cheap these days. You get what you pay for and I think the Echo does a splendid job in highlighting national as well as local issues - keep up the good work Echo people.
Posted by: Rich W, Bournemouth on 2:35pm Sun 4 May 08
Large fish & Chips were just a one shilling that's just 10 Pence in today's currency .
5p, actually. 10p was two shillings...aka a florin....the average child's weekly pocket money.
Large fish & Chips were just a one shilling that's just 10 Pence in today's currency .
5p, actually. 10p was two shillings...aka a florin....the average child's weekly pocket money.
Posted by: Greghay, Corfe Mullen on 4:10pm Sun 4 May 08
Petrol will cost 14% of average wage next year, whats new? In 1956 when I started driving petrol cost 5/4 a gallon. That is about 27p in todays money. However, average wage was only around £600 pa. That meant that using the same calculations as in the report, it was then costing 17% of average wage. That was the decade when the then PM told us that, we had never had it so good!
Petrol will cost 14% of average wage next year, whats new? In 1956 when I started driving petrol cost 5/4 a gallon. That is about 27p in todays money. However, average wage was only around £600 pa. That meant that using the same calculations as in the report, it was then costing 17% of average wage. That was the decade when the then PM told us that, we had never had it so good!
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