“I won’t leave very often if this continues, and I’ve already had to step out of retirement to cope with rising living costs,” says Carol Halliwell, one of the many motorists who make a stop in Burton-in-Kendal. road services at the annual horse fair in Appleby.
Having tea in his camper van as he makes his way north, Halliwell shares stories of his travels around the UK, but explains that it won’t be long before petrol prices are prohibitive and he has to sell the van.
On Thursday, figures released by data firm Experian showed that the average cost of refilling a typical family car with petrol had exceeded £ 100 for the first time.
Burton-in-Kendal Services, on the M6 where Lancashire meets Cumbria, is the last step for gas station drivers before reaching the Lake District, and is one of the highest-paying numbers in the country. £ 2 per liter of unleaded fuel. .
Carol Halliwall of Darwen says that if prices go up much more she will have to sell her camper van. Photo: Joel Goodman / The Guardian
Liverpool’s Paul Friday has stopped with his family on a weekend trip to Scotland. “Fortunately, I filled the tank before leaving, and I’m very happy to have done so. The cost has become absurd, ”he says.
Like Friday, Jim Wight was “surprised” to see prices rise. “I drive from Torquay to Dunoon in Scotland to see my father,” he says. “I just need enough fuel to cross the border. Fortunately, I can afford to absorb the price hike, but there will be many who can’t.”
Mark Tyme, a Blackpool motorcyclist, says he has never had to worry about the cost of filling his tank. Photo: Joel Goodman / The Guardian
It’s not just car drivers who feel the pinch. Mark Tyme, a Blackpool motorcyclist, explains that in 40 years of owning a motorcycle, this is the first time he has had to worry about filling his tank. “I attend demonstrations all year round,” he says. “That’s what I love. But since I retired, I’ve had to stick to what happens within a 50-mile radius of where I live: a year ago it was £ 18 to fill the tank. Now it’s £ 30. “.
Across the yard, Steven McGregor is about to return to Scotland after being the driver of a bus tour of the Northwest. “Bus visits have picked up again after the pandemic, but many things have recently been canceled due to the fuel crisis and, for those still going on, the cost is being passed on to passengers.”
A few meters away, HGV driver James Cunningham is on a break from delivering goods to supermarkets across the country. “The only thing we don’t carry are kids,” he says, smiling briefly before getting up and leaning in to share that it now costs £ 1,000 to fill his truck, almost twice as much as in 2020. They are asked to do so. many more downhill routes, and many drivers call for strikes. Such a thing would bring the country to a standstill. “
Glasgow’s James Cunningham says it now costs £ 1,000 to fill his truck. Photo: Joel Goodman / The Guardian
Despite the double pressure of rising fuel and energy costs and the worsening of the cost of living crisis, the mood at the start of a sunny weekend in Cumbria is generally optimistic. However, the biggest smiles, by far, are on the faces of hybrid and electric vehicle owners like Denise Walsh, who travels from Sheffield to the Lake District with her husband Steve and bitch Lottie. “The initial cost of our car was high, but for us it was worth it. We’ll go from Sheffield to the lakes and come back without recharging even once.”
Denise and Steve Walsh are delighted to have their Toyota hybrid car, despite the high initial cost. Photo: Joel Goodman / The Guardian
For those who can’t afford the high cost of an electric car, averaging £ 25,800 for a used car, the AA advises motorists to “walk or bike to save money” and “reduce the shortest journeys “.
Meanwhile, RAC Fuel spokesman Simon Williams said “it is becoming increasingly clear that the government needs to take more steps to reduce the huge financial burden on drivers”.
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“A temporary reduction in the VAT on fuel, or a deeper reduction in taxes, is surely what is needed now.”
Asked about the problem on Thursday, Boris Johnson said: “We have already made a cut … the biggest reduction in the fuel rate. What I want to see is that these cuts have an impact on the bombs.”
At the exit of the courtyard, two NHS paramedics are parked. “We won’t fill it in here. It already costs us £ 50 more than before, and the taxpayer will be the one to collect the bill.”