High fuel costs putting brakes on motoring

Motorists were responding to the record-high costs of petrol and diesel by sticking to speed limits, using park-and-rides and asking for fuel-economy tips, the RAC said. Reports from its patrol staff had revealed that traffic was lighter on some routes.

They also found that companies were asking their drivers to reduce their speed, more cars were using the inside lane on motorways, and parents were ditching cars and walking their children to school instead.

Iain Vale, RAC's patrolman of the year, said: "We have seen more call-outs for people running out of fuel because their £30 simply doesn't buy them as many miles as it did at the beginning of the year and considerably less than this time last year.

"The cost of motoring has now taken over from the weather as the main topic of conversation during call-outs."