As fuel prices fall, an Essex bus provider is urging people keep using public transport
They warn some more rural routes may become 'unviable' otherwise
Last updated 25th Sep 2022
After fuel prices at UK forecourts fell to the lowest level since mid-May, an Essex bus provider is urging people to keep using public transport to ensure routes remain in service.
First Bus says some rural routes will become unworkable, if people aren't using them enough and instead opt to use cars to travel.
Figures published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy show a litre of petrol cost an average of 165.5p on Monday, while diesel was 181.1p per litre.
They are the lowest prices since 16th May, coinciding with a fall in wholesale costs due to a drop in oil prices.
The highest average fuel prices for the year so far were recorded on 4th July, when petrol was 191.6p per litre and diesel was 199.2p per litre.
Since then, the cost of filling up a typical 55-litre family petrol car has been cut by more than ÂŁ14, while refuelling diesel models costs nearly ÂŁ10 less.
AA fuel price spokesman Luke Bosdet said: "Although the fall in pump prices has slowed in recent weeks, they continue to trickle down steadily.
"This was to be expected as the end of the US summer motoring season eases the pressure on gasoline demand and therefore reduces the wholesale price of petrol in this country.
"At UK street level, petrol prices around 155p a litre are beginning to appear again."
Isabel McAllister, from First Bus, warns more rural bus routes may disappear though, if people return to their cars, rather than public transport: "It's important to support your bus route.
"If you do have a local route on a rural journey, there's a bit of a catch 22 - if people elect not to take that bus, then that bus route becomes unviable.
"I would never say: 'If you're in a rural location, sell your car and only take the bus', but I would recommend that people try and get the right blend because that means the buses can be sustainable."
Isabel, First's Chief Sustainability Officer, argues travelling by bus is also a positive way to tackle the environmental and cost of living crises: "For anyone who's trying to improve their personal carbon footprints, taking the bus rather than the car is a really good step in the right direction.
"Lots of people have started to adjust what they eat, where they take a vacation and are, perhaps, looking at where they're buying products from. Taking the bus is the next piece of the puzzle in terms of reducing your personal impact on the environment.
"It's also a lot cheaper to take the bus than to drive your car and definitely a lot cheaper than driving and paying for parking for your car."