Unleaded petrol prices reach all time high

The latest government figures have revealed that a gallon of unleaded petrol has reached a record high of almost 125p in recent weeks – and that is without taking the increase in VAT into account. A coalition which promised to treat motorists better than its predecessor seems to, so far, be failing in its attempts to make driving cheaper and to improve the transport infrastructure in the UK.

In fact, the evidence suggests that there is little government policy can do to influence when people get behind the wheels of their cars. The only factor which causes people to drive more often or less frequently is the price of fuel; and the government seems unwilling to do anything to ease that particular financial burden.

Of course, around 50% of the cost of a gallon of petrol is dictated by oil prices, which are currently at their highest for many years, but Cameron could still cut fuel duty or VAT if he really did want to make life easier for the UK’s millions of car owners.

The only way that the government can possibly encourage drivers to use less petrol is either to improve the country’s crippled public transport system or invest in alternative fuels. The target is for the country to have 11 million electric cars on its roads by 2030 – or the UK faces failing on its strict emissions targets.

Interestingly, the coalition government has actually cut the financial support which the previous Labour government promised for research into the commercial possibilities of electric vehicles; only £43 million has now been made available, or enough to produce just over 8,500 electric cars.

If the government were to give more support to the industry everyone would be a winner – apart from the oil majors. Cameron would meet his emissions targets; the environment would improve in many cities and towns; and motorists would save an average of 12p per mile on fuel costs.