MSE News: Petrol prices set to reach record high

milliemonster

Well I NEED my car and so does my hubby, we both work 30 miles away and have to leave the house at 6am, home at 9pm working shifts, we can't car share as we work around each other for childcare, kids always walk to school and we never use the car unless it's necessary, we combine shopping trips now aswell (nearest shop 7 miles away), currently using the car still remains cheaper than the bus (£8 return to the town 7 miles away) so public transport isn't an option.

Our fuel costs are crippling us, £350 a month between us currently which is more than 15% of our take home pay, just to get to work. 3 year pay freeze, don't know how much longer we can take this for really on top of everything else, have considered moving closer to work but house now in negative equity, kids at secondary school doing gcse's so not ideal, but it is fast becoming that we are just working to pay bills and nothing left over for anything else at all.

anguk

no_more_cards_for_me wrote: »

Short journeys of under 5 miles would be better completed by cycle or walking. Take away the school run and traffic is significantly lighter. Whilst there is little option for longer commutes, as public transport doesn't have the support or infrastructure, why shouldn't people use cycles for shorter journeys ? 15 minutes on a bike for a couple of miles shouldn't be too difficult for anybody. Safer roads would encourage more users.

Unfortunately convincing car drivers to give up their status symbols is going to be a more difficult. As fuel costs rise then there might be a further significant increase in cycle use. Anything to reduce the burden on the NHS of obese car drivers has got to be a good thing.

I could manage it but I doubt my one legged husband could. For some people they have no choice but to use a car, we can't do without it and we use it as little as possible as it is so we'll have to cut back elsewhere in order to pay the rising petrol costs.

Graham_Devon

A lot of people are suggesting walking and cycling. Walk the kids to school etc.

Brilliant. Easy solution.

I myself love walking. I had a day off yesterday and opted to walk a 4 mile round trip. I thoroughly enjoyed it too.

However, that was only possible prescisely because I had the day off. I couldn't do that on a work day, theres no time. I can't walk the kids to school AND arrive at work on time....it's simply impossible, time doesn't allow it. I don't want to spend 45 mins at night going to buy a pint of milk from the shop. I have limited time after work as it is.

I'd do much more walking and probably buy a bike if time wasn't an issue, but as it is, the car is the solution to all problems. No one has yet invented being able to stop time while we follow peoples wordly advice. As for the bike, it's great if your roads and landscape allow for it. But please, have a look at some of the roads and areas outside of the major towns and cities. Quite simply they are very dangerous. A HGV, car and cyclist don't all fit on a Devon A road.

worried_jim

Arg wrote: »

We have the illusion of universal healthcare.

Go to the States and see how they wish they had our illusion.

louiser123

worried_jim wrote: »

Go to the States and see how they wish they had our illusion.

i have to say a lot of americans i know far prefer their version to the prospect of ours! even we are now travelling to the USA for treatment we cant get here, and the medical treatment they do get far outstrips ours in comparison.
but that aside my point remains the same regardless of the issue as to whether a car is needed or wanted if the USA can sell petrol as cheaply as they do and still make a good profit then why cant we? simple answer because our govt whoever is in power are far too greedy and continue to tax it at higher ratios than most other countries.

whatmichaelsays

louiser123 wrote: »

i have to say a lot of americans i know far prefer their version to the prospect of ours! even we are now travelling to the USA for treatment we cant get here, and the medical treatment they do get far outstrips ours in comparison.
but that aside my point remains the same regardless of the issue as to whether a car is needed or wanted if the USA can sell petrol as cheaply as they do and still make a good profit then why cant we? simple answer because our govt whoever is in power are far too greedy and continue to tax it at higher ratios than most other countries.

So where would you rather pay tax instead? Or rather, where would you make £25.9bn of public sector cuts?

KierNet

People seem to forget that its a privilege to drive, not a right. Its your choice to live xx miles from work, your choice to have kids and drive them to school.

I can't think of anyone who 100% needs their car outside of work (IE driving for a living, Police/Fire/Ambo).

I choice to drive to work, so I should pay the price.

Scotty1.7

If we had a decent public transport system, a good standard of driving - then I would consider riding to work.

But again as people have noted, my average commute is 25 miles each way, every day.

I do car share, and they do contribute towards fuel. But even with that my megre budget can't stretch to it.

I am one of hundreds of thousands of people who are being priced out of there jobs in the cites.

I am having to really consider moving home or getting a job in the town I live in. None of which earn me the same as the wage I am currently on.

And those who will argue to use public transport, it takes over 2 hours to do a trip that takes me 35 minutes. And the buses are in woeful condition, they cost the same as my car does in fuel a month - but unlike my car I can't get one stright to the shops - I'd have to reduce/change my shopping rather then a nice simple cheap aldi to some were I can comfortable get to, do a reasonable shop and come home from. I would have to do a little and often shop at a more expensive outlet.

Fuel effects everything - Food, general shopping goods.

The only ones who can afford it are those who earn the big wages. Those who need it can't.

Those in power won't do anything about the cost of fuel, instead they just put it up, time after time after time.

The fuel industry is unregulated and operates as it wants.

Different prices from garage to garage - why? There is no need at all - Fixed price fuel across the UK - Inc Motorway services.

Total price transparency - fixed fuel duty, fixed VAT cost. The petrol stations take away amount has stayed the same pretty much - its the daft gits who are supposed to be 'highly educated' and operate on for ' the good of the people' in bloody London who cause the issues.

My view is simple - lower fuel price = more people driving, more money moving into the economy as people have more disposable money for shopping etc

Lower fuel price = lower cost for haulage = lower cost on the shelves = more people able to buy more goods. Again it moves the economy forward. Also makes our haulage companies more attractive in there operating costs for business across Europe.

What annoys me even more, is that we have our own North sea Oil, our own Oil Refineries here - like the USA etc, yet we pay so much more!!!

£25.9 bn ???? were do you get that from?????

The Oil companies pay to little tax, and we can make more from external oil sales by having a internal price for fuel and a extrnal price for sales

Dave_C_2

Graham_Devon wrote: »

But please, have a look at some of the roads and areas outside of the major towns and cities. Quite simply they are very dangerous. A HGV, car and cyclist don't all fit on a Devon A road.

This is the point, more expensive petrol leads to less motor traffic and more bicycles on the road. This makes it safer to walk and cycle.

This will also break the cycle of "I must take the kids to school in the car because the roads are so dangerous"

Dave

Scotty1.7

KierNet wrote: »

People seem to forget that its a privilege to drive, not a right. Its your choice to live xx miles from work, your choice to have kids and drive them to school.

I can't think of anyone who 100% needs their car outside of work (IE driving for a living, Police/Fire/Ambo).

I choice to drive to work, so I should pay the price.

Horse crap!!!

Move closer to the town = higher costs in over aspects which negate the lack of driving

Further away = slightly cheaper living, but with add cost of driving

Its swings and round about's.

Could a family of four live in a town centre? Have you seen the cost of a 3 bedroom apartment in town - if you can find one?

For a couple not planning to have kids or a single person yes it can work.

But if we all did that, how do you deal with all of the mechanics, dealership admins etc that would be now jobless?

There is no wrong or right answer, we will all have different answers - but the vast number will agree to the need for cheaper fuel.