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Priced off the road?
7:00pm Friday 2nd May 2008
Comments (20)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."
Your Say YourBournemouth Echo
omegaman, Bournemouth says...
8:54pm Fri 2 May 08
Samuel Cooke, Southbourne says...
11:14pm Fri 2 May 08
PokesdownMark, Pokesdown says...
8:02am Sat 3 May 08
Samuel is right - I'm really sad to see this type of story in the echo.
2Much, New Forest says...
9:19am Sat 3 May 08
omegaman wrote:Nothing to do with tax then?..or the allowing the fat cats to rake in the profits?...
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.
Chris McColl, Bournemouth says...
10:04am Sat 3 May 08
PETE WOODLEY, says...
2:08pm Sat 3 May 08
PokesdownMark wrote:It gives omegaman a chance to rant on,and give out his superior knowledgeon behalf of the goverment.
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.
paul, poole says...
6:33pm Sat 3 May 08
astleyw, Bournemouth says...
6:46pm Sat 3 May 08
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!!
Saildog, sydney says...
5:54am Sun 4 May 08
The key questiion is how expensive does oil have to become before the Western economy begins to unravel?
John, Poole says...
6:52am Sun 4 May 08
Samuel Cooke wrote:Because it helps sell overpriced Newspapers.The Echo used to cost the equivalent of 2 pence.
And we need this useless, negative, sensationalist news story why?
Priced off the Read?!
mmmmmmmmmmmm, dorset says...
9:48am Sun 4 May 08
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 ???.
mmmmmmmmmmmm, dorset says...
9:49am Sun 4 May 08
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 ???.
Tricky Dicky, twixt here and rhere says...
10:07am Sun 4 May 08
fedupwithjobsworths, Moordown says...
10:53am Sun 4 May 08
omegaman wrote: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.
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.
Carl Barron, Dorset says...
11:50am Sun 4 May 08
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?
Carl Barron, Dorset says...
11:51am Sun 4 May 08
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?
Sarah, Bournemouth says...
11:58am Sun 4 May 08
John wrote: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
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?!
'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.
Rich W, Bournemouth says...
2:35pm Sun 4 May 08
5p, actually. 10p was two shillings...aka a florin....the average child's weekly pocket money.
Greghay, Corfe Mullen says...
4:10pm Sun 4 May 08
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HAL101, Bournemouth says...
7:28pm Fri 2 May 08
This century is looking rather like the last.