Figures published today only strengthen my campaign which is calling for lower fuel tax.
Research shows that drivers have reduced their petrol consumption by more than 15 per cent since the credit crunch and the recession.
The AA has calculated that fuel transactions in the first six months of 2011 amounted to 1.7bn litres less than in the same period three years ago.
The AA says the drop in petrol sales can be attributed to the record fuel prices. The high cost of petrol leaves drivers with no option but to use their cars less. Businesses are also cutting back.
According to the research, this fall has cost the Treasury of nearly £1bn in fuel duty between January and June this year and according to recent figures the average motorist in my constituency of Harlow is getting fleeced for £1,700 a year just to fill up the family car. This is one tenth of the average local salary.
The Government defines ‘fuel poverty’ as spending a tenth of your income just heating your home, but what about spending a tenth of your income just driving to work?
With the FairFuel UK campaign, I launched the e-petition - http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/347 - calling for lower fuel taxes. It reached the 100,000 signature mark last Friday (September 30) – the figure needed to trigger a parliamentary debate on the issue.
You can read by article on this issue on the Conservative Home here.
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