As the price of petrol continually rises, new research has revealed that 91% of people in the North East feel that the overall cost of running a car is becoming increasingly difficult. Almost 9 in 10 (89%) are concerned about the rising cost of petrol, and half (50%) think car cost rises are a critical concern. The price of petrol is forcing some to take undue risks, as a fifth of women (20%) have admitted to driving with the fuel light on as they can’t afford to fill up.

A typical 50-litre petrol refill now costs an extra £9.61, adding £40.81 per month to the petrol spend of a two car family. With trains recently branded as ‘the rich man’s toy’, many people have been forced to stay at home rather than make long journeys, and over a third (38%) have admitted to reducing the number of long distance trips they have made in the past year.

Interestingly, people are already beginning to look for new, alternative ways to reduce the burden of their car costs. One in ten (11%) have shared journeys to reduce costs, with drivers being able to make considerable savings on longer journeys. Drivers could save as much as £60 on a single journey between London and Manchester, not only offsetting their entire petrol costs, but also vehicle running costs.