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‘Transport poverty’ rife in UK households

  Monday, 12 March 2012

80 per cent of UK households are fighting ‘transport poverty’, according to new figures revealed by the RAC Foundation last week.

As many as four-in-five households are having to spend more than 10 per cent of their disposable income on transport, with the majority of their spending forced on acquiring, running and maintaining their own vehicle.

The survey by the RAC Foundation found that, on average, households spend 14 per cent of weekly expenditure on transport – amounting to £64.90 spent out of a total £473.60. There is growing concern that households are having no choice but to shell out these costs to maintain jobs and social lives.

Professor Stephen Glaister, RAC Foundation director, said: “Rightly, there is much concern about the four million households who need to spend more than 10% of their income to keep warm.

“Yet this figure is dwarfed by the 21 million households which spend over 10% on transport. For the average household, transport is the single biggest outgoing, bar none.

“The situation is even starker when you look only at those home which have a car or van. In these cases, the poorest fifth of households are spending at least 17% of income on a vehicle – leaving aside anything extra that goes on public transport.

“Just like heating our homes, most of us have to spend money on transport. There is no choice. While savings can be made at the margins by making fewer journeys and combining those which are essential, people have no option other than to go to work, visit the supermarket, see the doctor and take the children to school. That means paying for transport.”

The increasing cost of running a vehicle means motorists are increasing looking to fuel-efficient cars to make their money go further. The second hand car market is booming at present and is certainly a buyer’s market. Second hand vehicle owners also know that they can repair and restore their cars to roadworthy condition without the expensive cost of brand new parts from dealerships and garages.

Purchasing road-tested used car parts makes perfect economic sense and at ASM Auto Recycling our very own same day/next day parts delivery service means motorists can get back on the road with haste.

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