Fuel hike makes Britons street-smart

Walking may be good for health but that is not why more and more Britons are doing it. Petrol prices have risen by around £1.20 per litre forcing people to leave their cars in the garage and walk wherever they can.

The rise in cost of oil, credit crunch and general economic downturn has meant that households are being forced to fundamentally change their lifestyle. Cash strapped families are juggling higher energy bills, mortgage payments and the rising cost of food.

More India business stories

The spiralling cost of petrol has meant that more than two thirds of Britain's motorists have cut the number of journeys they make by car–walking, cycling or using buses and trains as alternative modes of transport. "People are clearly feeling the pinch. Families are cutting back in other areas, but we are now getting to the stage where the only option they have is to reduce their car use," said Luke Bosdet, spokesman, Automobiles Association.

"I don't drive down to London any more but use a train which works out cheaper," said Rajendra Kumar Varsani, a computer analyst from York.

Nearly a third no longer drive to their local shops and a similar number have cut out visits to out-of-town retail parks. Footfalls at Britain's main out of town shopping centres such as Bluewater, Lakeside and the Metro Centre are down nearly 7 per cent on a year ago in May.

Only two weeks ago the chief executive of Marks and Spencer Sir Stuart Rose pointed out that their was growing evidence that customers were deciding to walk to stores closer to their homes rather than drive long distances to shopping malls.

Parents are also walking their children to school rather than jumping into a car. Nearly 25 per cent of parents have stopped using a car for the school run, saving petrol and the environment. "It is a 15 minute walk to my daughter's school, but I am doing it twice a day instead of driving as I used to. I save money and keep fit at the same time," said Paula Jones.

More India business stories

The rise in energy costs has also meant that people are expecting a whopping 40 per cent rise in their electricity and gas bills this winter. "We will simply have to turn temperatures down on the central heating in the house and turn off radiators in the rooms we don't use," said Maggie Luscomb, a councillor in Devon.

Want to invest in Stock Market? Get expert advice on your mobile

The worst hit are young couples whose dreams of owning a home are dashed thanks to the credit crunch.

They can't afford the steep mortgages, and are being squeezed further by rise in rents. Rents have gone up by an average of 11.7 per cent across Britain in the last year, and tenants in the south west of the country have been hit the hardest with almost 30 per cent rise.

Under license from www.3dsyndication.com

SEARCH