[Peakoil] Higher fuel prices puts brakes on car trips

[Adrian Whitehead]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1585410.htm

Higher fuel prices puts brakes on car trips

An international survey has revealed that rising fuel prices are affecting
the way many Australians are using their cars.

Some drivers are taking fewer trips to try and cope with increased costs.

The survey by international marketing company AC Nielsen spoke to 23,000
people in 42 countries about how they were coping with escalating petrol
prices.

It revealed widespread concern among Australians about the increased costs
of petrol.

More than half said they were trying to use their car less or combine trips
to cope with the extra cost.

However, the survey shows no evidence that Australians' love affair with
their cars is waning, with less than one-in-five people moving to public
transport - the fourth lowest rate in the Asia-Pacific region.

Only 8 per cent of fuel consumers are likely to swap their car for a more
fuel efficient model, and only 1 per cent had given up their car altogether.

Meanwhile, a new NRMA survey of petrol costs to small business has shown
rising fuel prices have severely affected their bottom line.

The NRMA survey of nearly 300 businesses in NSW and the ACT shows a drop of
more than 15 per cent profit for many companies.

NSW Minister for Small Business David Campbell says the impact is being
passed on to consumers.

"It also shows that they are passing on those increased costs to their
customers in growing numbers, that will add to inflation and we know that
the oil companies are making record profits," he said.

 
Adrian Whitehead
Water & Climate Campaigner
Conservation Council of the SE Region and Canberra
P: 6247 7808
F: 6248 5343
M: 0403 735 118

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