Spiralling fuel prices are forcing major lifestyle changes with over two thirds of drivers having cut the number of journeys they make by car.
That is the shock finding of a new survey which reveals a huge fall in car trips to shops, retail parks and schools.
Big jumps in energy bills, mortgage repayments and food costs have added to the financial pressures making cost-cutting the number one priority for most families.
Today’s research by Populus shows nearly a third of motorists have stopped driving to the local shops while 29 per cent have cut out journeys to out of town retail parks.
Almost one in four parents are no longer driving the children to school with a 22 per cent drop in visits to family and friends and a 27 per cent reduction in UK weekend breaks.
The Mander Centre in Wolverhampton has seen a 3,000 fall in the 40,000 vehicles a month using its car park but last week registered a 31 per cent rise in visitor numbers with 380,000 compared to 289,000 at the same time last year.
Graham Evans, Mander Centre manager and a board member of the City Centre Company, observed: “This indicates a shift in travel not shopping patterns with more people coming into the city by foot and public transport or sharing cars.”
Visitor numbers to major out-of-town retail centres elsewhere in the UK like Bluewater, Lakeside and the Metro Centre are down nearly seven per cent on last year.
Councillor Paddy Bradley, Wolverhampton City Council member for regeneration and enterprise who has responsibility for transport, confessed: “The roads in and around the city have far less traffic because of petrol prices especially when people are saving for a summer holiday.”
8 Comments
All part of the Government’s plan to tackle obesity no doubt. Force people into walking!
it’ll only be Mp’s shopping with their expenses soon, we’ll all be stuck in trying to pay bills
This is all part of the Governments plans to make us use our cars less and to walk more. I wonder who will pay our funneral costs as we are unable to put any savings away because of the all the living costs.
what about if your nearest supermarket 15 miles away, guess i’ll have to push bike it with my trailer
The recession deepens…
Great news! Walking and cycling is a pleasure, and hopefully people will stick with it. Fewer cars on the roads should be welcomed by all: less noise; less danger; better air quality; less wasted money.
Thinking of using a bike? Be careful? Cycling in the Midlands is very dangerous..I have seen some of the most stupidest drivers from this region of the country, who simply should not be on the road. And this happens every day..wear a helment folks.
Been regularly cycling to work, via the Penn Road for 3 years and, to be honest, most drivers are pretty good. There of course is the occasional numpty who doesn’t realise what their mirrors are for but on the whole it’s not too bad. Can’t even remember the last time I was nearly killed!!