Shropshire Star

Shropshire motorists hit by fresh high in fuel prices

Fuel prices have risen for an eighth successive week to reach a four-year high.

Published

The average cost of a litre of unleaded petrol across Shropshire now stands at more than £1.29.

And those relying on diesel will pay even more, with the average price of a litre exceeding £1.33, Government figures show.

Unleaded has not been this expensive since August 2014, while the price of diesel last reached its current level in September of that year.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, warned families embarking on domestic breaks and day trips are being hit by the rising cost of refuelling their vehicles.

He said: “These latest price increases will not have been lost on the millions of motorists travelling the length and breadth of the country in the past week or so heading to and from holiday destinations.

“The cost today of filling an average car with diesel is £8 more than it was a year ago and it is a similar picture for petrol.”

Mr Gooding said the increase in fuel costs will lead to higher prices for consumers, especially in rural areas like Shropshire where travel distances are greater.

Significant

“The impact isn’t just felt by drivers,” he said. “Fuel is a significant cost to many businesses and inevitably any increased burden will be passed on to customers through higher-priced goods and services.

“While rising oil prices and a weaker pound are contributing to what happens at the pumps it’s worth remembering that, despite the fuel duty freeze, more than 60 per cent still goes to the Treasury.”

A separate report today reveals the cost of a tank of fuel has increased by £5.50 for a typical 55-litre family car since April 2018. Experts warn that drivers will be significantly impacted by the increase.

Fuel additive Redex released the figures.

It said drivers could improve petrol consumption by keeping tyres correctly inflated, reducing weight in the car and removing roof racks when not necessary.

Price comparison site GoCompare also released an investigation into the top 10 most popular cars in the UK in 2017 to find out how much fuel you get for your money.

Coming out on top was the VW Polo which managed to achieve 174 miles on £25 of fuel.

The Mini scored the worst out of the top 10, managing to travel 134 miles.

Charity bus service under pressure

The Friendly Transport Service says rising fuel prices is making it have to think hard about its future

Rising fuel prices are proving to be a serious concern for businesses and organisations that rely on transport.

With the constant increase in costs, delivery and transport organisations are saying they are being forced to consider ways of changing the services they offer.

The Friendly Transport Service is just one of the many organisations hit by the increased cost.

It offers transport through rural areas for people that otherwise would not be able to reach important appointments and events or even do a weekly shop.

Marie Monk-Hawksworth, chief executive at The Friendly Transport Service, said: “It’s been an ongoing battle for a while as rising fuel prices has not just happened over night, but it is a constant struggle.

“It has affected our running costs and we’re marginally staying afloat, so if prices do just keep going up there will come a point where we have to have a serious think about what we can do to keep this invaluable service running.

“It has a negative impact on our service, as I’m sure it does for all community and commercial businesses.

“We are a not-for-profit organisation but there’s no doubt people rely on us, and therefore any costs we incur that we can’t cover through charitable operations will inevitably lead us to cutting services or finding ways to reimburse the funds.”

Known as The Friendly Bus, the organisation currently uses small donations offered by users, as well as charity grants and fundraisers to keep the service running.

“We have previously discussed increasing our contribution from passengers, but obviously we don’t want to do that and we would never simply charge for our service.

“But there is a tipping point and if prices continue to rise over the next few months we will have to consider our options.”