By Joe Jeffrey
Cost of fuel across Europe drops dramatically in contrast to the UK
Caravanners taking to Europe this summer are guaranteed to get more bang for their buck, according to a recent survey conducted by Post Office Travel Money based on fuel costs across the continent.
The price of petrol and diesel has fallen considerably compared to this time last year in all 22 countries surveyed, with a more noticeable decrease in diesel prices than that of petrol.
In first place comes Turkey, which has shown an 18 per cent decrease in petrol to 26 pence a litre, whilst diesel has dipped to 32 pence with a fall of almost a quarter at 23 per cent.
Meanwhile, petrol is down 22 per cent and diesel has fallen by 20 per cent in Austria and both petrol and diesel fuel types have fallen by a 20 per cent in Cyprus respectively.
News of a decrease in fuel prices comes as the the AA has announced average fuel prices in the UK have reached a six-month high after bursting back above the 117-pence-a-litre mark for the first time since December 2014 – just less than the 117.9 pence mark which saw many road users find it difficult to fill their tanks just before the recession.
If results of the AA’s latest populous survey are to be taken into consideration, the strain caused by the UK fuel increase is already beginning to be shown, with figures revealing that 37 per cent of over 28,000 people surveyed have already started to cut back on car use, with 48 per cent of the figure consisting of lower-income motorists.
AA president, Edmund King, said of the rise of fuel in the UK: “This month’s AA Fuel Price Report illustrates vividly the power of pump prices on consumer spending – whether it’s 48 per cent of lower-income drivers already cutting back on car use because of this year’s 10p hike in pump prices, or a 6p drop in price boosting a remote rural petrol station’s business by 100 per cent, don’t be mistaken into thinking that because pump prices are 13p-a-litre lower than this time last year that drivers are ripe for another fuel duty increase.
“It sends out a clear message to government on fuel tax: don’t be mistaken into thinking that because pump prices are 13p-a-litre lower than this time last year that drivers are ripe for another fuel duty increase,” King continued. “It won’t mean so much to some wealthier drivers, 28% of whom say high fuel prices don’t affect them, but up to 87 per cent of less well-off drivers say it does.”
What do you think about the increase in fuel prices across the rest of Europe whilst the price in the UK steadily rises? Are you feeling the effects?
