Fuel for thought as Britons battle to save money and still get from A to B

Nick Dalby has a full-time job as a salesman, but, over the years, he has also worked as an unpaid taxi driver, ferrying five children to various after-school activities and weekend trips to friends.

His wife, Margaret, also works full-time, and the two-car family are typical of many up and down the country.

However, things are changing. Petrol prices have risen to record levels, every morning congestion brings towns and cities to a standstill and with the aftermath of the recession still biting, many have begun to wonder whether the convenience of owning your own four wheels justifies the cost.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"If we all added up how much we spend each year on petrol, road tax, MoT and all the other incidentals, we'd probably sell our cars tomorrow," says Nick, who every day drives to work in Sheffield from the family home in Doncaster, a round-trip of about 40 miles.

"But it's not that easy. These days, a lot of us don't work in the same place where we live, and cars are a part of modern living."

The Dalbys had already been trying to cut down the amount of fuel they used each week, and after Nick spotted an online appeal for families to take part in a driving and public transport challenge, they joined 11 other families up and down the country in an attempt to conserve petrol and where possible take the bus and get on their bikes.

Day One

Suddenly I feel quite nervous. I enjoy driving my car, and the prospect of being tied to bus timetables is slightly frightening.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, I am reassured that I won't have to give up the Volvo

completely. Part of the challenge is to conserve as much fuel as possible. Currently, I use a tank of petrol a week and with it now

costing 50 to fill up, any saving will be welcome.

Although my wife and I have two cars, we have always walked the children to school and we all have bikes, so we're hoping this new approach to driving won't come as too much of a shock.

Day Two

Having had the telemetry unit fitted, which will tell us how many miles per gallon we are using, I take Margaret and youngest daughter, 11-year-old Jessica, to Langsett Water for a ramble around the reservoir.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Normally, I wouldn't even think about the route, but we have been told that anything above 55mph guzzles fuel, so avoid the motorway and, instead, go cross-country.

The A616 has an average speed check so set the cruise control and let the car do the work. The petrol gauge hardly moves, which is a big result.

Day Three

We need to visit Margaret's family in Huddersfield. Again, we avoid the motorways and, again, the fuel consumption starts to fall.

We are now achieving more than 35mpg, but would really like to get to 36mpg. Petrol prices are already rising and I wonder how long it will be before it hits the 1.20-a-litre mark.

Day Four

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

We meet up with the 11 other families taking part in the challenge, to be given some tips on saving fuel.

Most of them are common sense, but I don't think anyone had realised the difference checking the tyre pressure, brake fluid and oil levels can make to fuel consumption.

Slamming on the brakes is also a no, no and we learn some advanced driving techniques which should make our driving smoother and conserve petrol.

After all these years of driving to Sheffield, I also discover there is another route to work which is shorter by four miles.

Day Five

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Even simple things like an overloaded boot can end up costing at the petrol pump.

Do an inventory and find three pairs of walking boots, a rucksack, two picnic rugs, a cool box, waterproof coat, snow shovel, walking poles, a tool and survival kit, five litres of screenwash, de-icer and bottle of drinking water.

Slim down the contents drastically and hope it will mean the consumption, which is hovering between 35.5 and 35.7mpg improves.

Day Six

Go online PetrolPrices.com, a website dedicated to tracking fuel prices.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There are lots of calls for militant action similar to those in 2000. Then the price of petrol went to an unheard of 80p a litre and it's frightening to think the price has risen 50 per cent in 10 years.

I wonder what other product has such price inflation?

It looks like the price is the combined result of an increase in duty, the rise in oil prices, the weakness of the pound and VAT.

It's all the hidden effects of the recession and maybe it is time to use more public transport.

Day Seven

Petrol is now 1.20 a litre. That price would have seemed unthinkable even a few months ago.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The news coincides with my meeting with Stephen King, the principal transport planner at Doncaster Council.

Walk away with lots of leaflets and information and agree to give public transport a go.

Day Eight

Oh dear. The trip into town takes nearly half-an-hour on the bus. To drive would take 10 minutes and it also cost considerably more.

The seats seemed a lot smaller than when I last travelled on a double-decker and I notice there was hardly any middle-aged passengers. Everyone is either under 20 or retirement age.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Fortunately, we weren't buying anything heavy, frozen or chilled, but the moans about public transport seem justified. If people are going to persuaded out of their cars, it has to be cost effective and convenient.

Day Nine

After sleeping on it, decide we might have been a bit harsh on public transport.

Tomorrow we plan to go to the local farm shop, so check out whether it's possible to get their on the bus. It isn't. The nearest stop is about two miles away and that seems like too far to walk with the children with bags of heavy shopping.

We are all encouraged to support local producers, but, unfortunately, we can't do that and get the bus.

Day Ten

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

We won't be defeated, so with no access to public transport, we set off on our bikes to the farm shop.

It's a 14-mile round trip and it takes three hours and 40 minutes, lots of energy and, in Margaret's case, blood, sweat and nearly tears.

We all love cycling and we love the farm shop. Sadly, the two together aren't a good mix.

Day Eleven

The children are also embracing the challenge, which is good to see.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Despite, Margaret and my initial misgivings, our 23-year-old daughter, Lucy, has become a great advocate of the bus. The services she uses are frequent and they get her right where she needs to go.

I hope her appreciation of public transport will continue. She will pass her driving test soon and I know she will be tempted by the convenience of having her own transport.

I saw this with our eldest children, Rachel, James and Christopher. As soon as they got their own cars, public transport was all but forgotten.

However, even they have become much more conscious of the cost.

Day Twelve

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I now notice other people's bad driving habits much more than I used to. Being conscious of fuel has made me a much calmer driver.

I'm not perfect, but I am much, much better.

Arrive at work and find I am now doing 36.1mpg, so the next step is to get that the magic 37mpg.

Day Thirteen

Go walking in Derbyshire. On these journeys it seems to make sense to car share, and my friend offers to drive.

I have noticed how many cars are on the road without passengers. I know it's something we are all guilty of, but sharing the cost of petrol when you can would seem to be commonsense.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After a pub lunch, we set off home, and I have a quick nap in the passenger seat.

Day Fourteen

Checking the tyre pressure and oil level has become part of the weekly routine and it is paying off.

Even with the recent petrol price rise, I'm saving about 5 a week.

Margaret now drives with the mpg rate at the forefront of her mind and we are both determined to wring every mile out of the tank.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Our attempt to use public transport has been less successful, but we will keep trying and with summer round the corner, we will definitely use our bikes more.

The real success of the challenge has been to make us think about the journeys we make and how we make them.

I might not be ready to give up the car, but we have all learnt to appreciate the real cost of having four wheels.

n The Dalby family were taking part in the Shell Smarter Driving Challenge.

Simple ways to save on fuel

Related topics: