MSE News: Fuel rise 'will force job changes'

Former_MSE_Helen

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"Some drivers will have to change or quit their jobs if August's planned increase goes ahead, an AA survey finds..."

Read the full story:
Fuel rise 'will force job changes'

Honda2ner

My car uses LPG and electricity so the fuel prices simply don't affect me at all. With the warm winter we have just had LPG prices (£0.79/litre) are coming down and as the Government is still nowhere near it's targets for cars running on environmentally friendly fuels like LPG and electricity they aren't going to put up taxes on LPG very much. There's nearly 1500 LPG filling stations across the country (more small local ones) so I have no problems finding LPG (even have an app on my phone to find them whilst I'm long distance). IMO anyone still using more than £30 a week in petrol or diesel needs to have a think about alternatives. BTW LPG conversions only cost £700 for a 3-4 cylinder engine...

interstellaflyer

Here's a radical thought, cut the tax on fuel a bit and watch the green shoots of recovery start appearing, high fuel costs are strangling businessess and creating high prices for essentials like food they also make life hard for people like me who are not earning big money (I'm on NMW) yet have to commute 40 miles a day at my own expense just to work, I have no alternative than to use my car as public transport would be a lot more expensive and take a good 2 hours each way

duchy

I've worked from home for the last few years in a job that traditionally isn't done at home (essentially call centre work) .
I've commuted fair distances in the past but looking around at the job market now by the time I calculate fares or petrol and parking there isn't much out there that would make a move of job worthwhile.

With these increases when are employers going to realize with the better and cheaper technology around working from home is a viable alternative. I still attend meetings and trainings but remotely via applications like meetingplace -my screen time can be monitored remotely and my calls listened in to just like in a traditional call centre and I spend less time away from my desk getting coffee/food etc as it's a hop to my kichen and there's never a queue there ! There are advantages like better staff retention -think of the women who quit work due to the combination of fares and childcare or those who just get fed up with the hassle of commuting or as mentioned above spiralling costs of it.

Transport costs aren't going to fall so maybe it's time for employers to start thinking out of the box a bit more (and the government to make it more attractive for them to do so ).

interstellaflyer

duchy wrote: »

I've worked from home for the last few years in a job that traditionally isn't done at home (essentially call centre work) .
I've commuted fair distances in the past but looking around at the job market now by the time I calculate fares or petrol and parking there isn't much out there that would make a move of job worthwhile.

With these increases when are employers going to realize with the better and cheaper technology around working from home is a viable alternative. I still attend meetings and trainings but remotely via applications like meetingplace -my screen time can be monitored remotely and my calls listened in to just like in a traditional call centre and I spend less time away from my desk getting coffee/food etc as it's a hop to my kichen and there's never a queue there ! There are advantages like better staff retention -think of the women who quit work due to the combination of fares and childcare or those who just get fed up with the hassle of commuting or as mentioned above spiralling costs of it.

Transport costs aren't going to fall so maybe it's time for employers to start thinking out of the box a bit more (and the government to make it more attractive for them to do so ).

That's all very well and good if you have an office type job but not realistic most manual workers etc is it.

wriggly

4% said they would change jobs to reduce mileage if the 3.02p duty increase is not scrapped, while 3% would have to abandon their job because of unaffordable travel costs

Since fuel prices have risen by about 3p over the last month, can the AA please check how many of these people actually changed or quit their jobs?

JimmyTheWig

Changing jobs due to a 2% increase in the cost of getting there? Really?
Someone spending £10 a day to get to work and back would change jobs because they couldn't afford to spend £10.21 a day to get to work and back?

Idiophreak

I can believe this. To be honest, I'd probably move closer to work before I change job, but the cost of commuting (only 20 miles each way) is really starting to add up.

For someone on a significantly lower wage, I can easily seeing fuel costs being the straw that breaks the camel's back - and they'll decide that staying at home on benefits is an easier way of being poor.

Strider590

interstellaflyer wrote: »

That's all very well and good if you have an office type job but not realistic most manual workers etc is it.

Agreed and typically skilled labour is lower paid than sitting in a warm office drinking coffee all day. I know this because I now work in an office and get paid considerably more than I did when I was running my !!!! off all day

theswirly

I live in Worcester and used to commute on a daily basis to West Bromwich (60-mile round trip). This was costing me £170 a month in fuel alone, almost 15% of my salary, let alone the depreciation on my car's value, wear and tear, tax, etc. At the same time, my girlfriend worked in Gloucester and so we were spending £350 between the two of us just to get to work and back.

As a result, I now work in the same city as I live in - which means my round trip is 5 miles and therefore about £15 a month in fuel. Same salary and so massive savings.

Yesterday and today, as the weather's perked up, have seen me begin cycling in too (which takes 15 minutes as opposed to the 25 it takes to drive to a freebie place and then walk), which is entirely free! Aside from being rather saddle sore, it's been great! Of course, with a rainy day, I will drive as I don't want to turn up at the office like a drowned rat.

This means that we've cut our spend on fuel and can put it towards more useful things like a deposit on a house! Unfortunately, my girlfriend's job is scarce (a Dietitian specialising in Renal) and so she doesn't have the luxury of choosing where to work.

Strider590

^^^^^^

I used to work in Worcester city centre, but I parked in a street full of dentists and doctors surgeries, then walked the 1.5mile to work, saving me over £90 a month in car park fee's, it's probably the only street the council couldn't stick double yellows down. I thinks it's disgusting having to pay £4 a day just to work in the city AND they've gone around the roads with a fine tooth comb to make sure everybody is being forced onto the council car parks...... It's no wonder the local business struggles.