U.K. petrol price soaring

Press, 12 April 1979, Page 21

U.K. petrol price soaring

By

KEN COATES in Lon-

•ion British motorists do not face a petrol shortage, but the cost of their petrol continues to soar. Most of Britain’s supplies now come from North Sea oil, which is expensive to recover. The Automobile Association has consulted oil companion, and learned that the average cost this year is likely to be 95 pence (about $1.90) a gallon. This admittedly is less than the SI ($2) a gallon

which has been rumoured for some time, but is still five pence to sevoa pence (10c to 14c) more than most motorists are now paying. The new A.A. forecast indicates that the motorist running a car of up to one-litre capacity over 10,000 miles this year will pay Just over 28c a mile, all standing charges and running costs taken mto consideration. This is more than 4c a mile above what he was paying a year ago, according to the A.A.

In the lOOlcc to 150flcc bracket of cars, the 1979 cost is calculated at 31c a mile, an increase over the year of 5.2 c a mile. The more powerful th» car, the steeper the increase. But in spite of increasing costs, two-thirds of Londoners now travel by car or van, according to the Movement for London organisation which is camnaigning for better roads. Its secretary, Mr A. J. Warren, says congestion is a nightmare in London because of an inadequate reading system.