Coping with the fuel price hike

Car users are already paying an average £10 more per tank compared to a year ago, and Government minister Alan Duncan warned this week that prices could reach £4 a litre.

But is there a way to steer clear of the escalating cost of driving – and help the environment too?

The Daily Echo is finding ways to get round the problem – starting with an initiative to encourage more people in the county to share their car.

We’re launching a forum on our website where people can offer one-off lifts or set up regular arrangements to get to and from work.

• Share lifts and save cash
• Car Share Forum
• Petrol prices near you
• Latest traffic updates and cameras
• Travel News
• Car Sharing Case Study
• How the fuel hike hits families
• Tips for using less fuel when driving

It’s an opportunity to slash the weekly cost of the commute and could help to ease traffic on our congested roads.

Dave Hubble, of Southampton Greenpeace, thinks the effects could be significant.

“If you look at Inner Avenue in Southampton, or the centre of Eastleigh, they’re absolutely clogged up in the morning and all you see is one person in a car, one person in a car, one person in a car,” he said.

“If all those people can organise car-sharing, even if it’s just two people in the car instead of one, that’s going to halve the queue.

“And with less time stuck in traffic, cars are using less petrol, because it’s very inefficient being stuck in a queue, it’s not what the car’s designed for.

“Oil is a finite resource – it’s only going to get more expensive, so it’s definitely something a lot of people are starting to think about.

“We used to just nip off somewhere in the car and now you suddenly think – that’s going to cost me a tenner.

“Small things like car-sharing, they might not seem huge but it will suddenly start having an effect.”

Green MEP for the South-East, Keith Taylor has also welcomed the Daily Echo’s new car-sharing initiative. He said: “It’s a great way to save money and reduce emissions. Similar schemes have been set up elsewhere in the south-east and are working really well.

“By reducing our dependence on the car we can improve the air quality in our city centres and make them more enjoyable spaces to spend time in.”

Ordnance Survey has been trying hard to reduce the number of cars turning up at its new offices in Adanac Park, Nurs-ling, every day. They’re putting their mapping resources to good use by giving staff the chance to register routes on their Intranet and search for colleagues going the same way.

Environmental adviser Stephanie Middle said: “We’ve got about 76 groups actively car sharing. I think businesses have a responsibility to encourage these sorts of things – if people car share it means less impact on the surrounding area, as well as reducing the pressure on parking. We have flexi-time and people that car share get priority spaces in our car park – so even if they turn up at 9.25am they’ll be able to get a space.”

Motorists can also cut the amount of fuel they consume by changing old habits.

The AA estimates the average person would cut their costs by ten per cent if they followed tips such as reducing speed, turning off air-conditioning and switching the engine off in a queue.

Spokesman Pete Barnao said: “Drivers who follow all the tips could save as much as a third, or around £500 a year. It’s just making pretty basic changes. Once they become a habit it’s no extra effort and the savings can be huge.”

During our campaign we’ll be looking at all fuel-related issues and keeping a close eye on who the price rises are hitting hardest. From small businesses to big haulage companies, from charities to commuters, we’ll be finding out how people are coping.

We’ll also be looking at practical advice motorists can use to beat the fuel hike.

Motorists can also find the cheapest places to fill up in Hampshire.

Of course, don't forget the forum set up to let potential lift-sharers get in contact with each other.