Today’s continued freeze on fuel duty*, keeping the 5p cut for
another 12 months, spares ‘heavy duty’ pain at the pumps for
millions of drivers, their families and businesses.
Jack Cousens, the AA’s head of roads policy, responded: “We are
pleased the Chancellor has listened to the AA and frozen fuel
duty. Not only will this save drivers ‘heavy duty’ pain at the
pump, but will help keep the price of goods and services down as
they are mainly transported by road. Crippling road fuel costs
are also a major driver of inflation.”
Putting the continued 5p fuel duty cut in perspective, 28% of
drivers (rising to 40% in the lower income group) buy a set
amount of fuel whenever they got to a fuel station. Finances of
many drivers and families are so tight that a £3.30 hike to the
cost of a tank of fuel would have tipped many of those knife-edge
budgets into much greater difficulty.
Although pump prices are currently stable and way down on the
records of July, currently averaging 147.28p a litre for petrol
and 166.05p for diesel, they remain much worse than the records
pre-covid and before the Ukraine war.
In April 2012, petrol averaged 142.48p and diesel 147.93p. That
was considered a ‘nightmare’ level of road fuel cost, mainly
because it exceeded by far the worst that oil at $147 could throw
at drivers and businesses in the summer of 2008 (petrol 119.70p a
litre, diesel 133.25p).
Pothole funding
On the extra £200 million to fix potholes, Cousens said: “An
additional £200m to fix potholes is welcome, but we are concerned
that the cash won’t become available until next year. Years of
underinvestment in our road network coupled with a cold and wet
winter is already unveiling the craters. More money needs to be
spent now, as well as significant long-term investment to improve
our local roads.”
