Britain seems to be moving back towards the record high petrol prices of 2008, according to the AA. A year ago the average motorist was paying about 90.7p per litre; the current average price is about £1.15. AA said that the average cost of petrol for a two-car family is running about £50 a month more than in the same period last year.
Rising costs have been exacerbated by a series of tax rises over the past 12 months. April last year saw a 1.84p rise in fuel duties and another rise of 2p in September. In January this year there was a 2.5 percent rise in VAT, which meant another rise in petrol costs of about 2.5p. On top of all this, another rise is scheduled for the first of April; that one would bring the price up another one percent plus inflation.
Both AA and RAC spokesmen have expressed concern that the rise in petrol rates will stretch many families’ budgets to the breaking point, and possibly even trigger another recession. Motoring strategist Adrian Tink of RAC said that the government should rethink the additional rise, since when it was budgeted last year the cost of petrol was still well under the £1 per litre mark.
The rising prices are already causing strain on businesses and families alike, and the reminder of record highs in summer 2008 is not welcome. AA research has also indicated that motorists in the U.K. are being hit about five times harder than those in neighbouring European countries.
