Motorists warned to remove items from their car this week

Motorists are being advised to remove three items from their vehicles by next Wednesday to mitigate the impact of the impending fuel duty rise. With the new Labour government's Budget scheduled for October 30, road users are being warned to take action.

Aidan Rushby, CEO of Carmoola, a vehicle financing service, commented: "We understand the added financial strain that a hike in fuel costs could place on motorists. Whilst any rise in taxes is out of consumers' control, we're sharing these practical tips - some well-known, others less so - to help drivers take back some control over their car costs."

To reduce fuel consumption, Carmoola recommends removing unnecessary items from the vehicle to reduce weight, taking off external accessories like roof racks and tents, and maintaining a constant speed while driving calmly. Paul Holland, Managing Director of Corpay, including UK brand Allstar, expressed concerns about the timing of the fuel duty rise, stating: "The government is likely to end the temporary extension of the 5p fuel duty cut that was put in place by the previous Chancellor.

"While we knew this would happen at some point, the government needs to ask itself whether now is the right time. Are there no other areas it can make cuts? Ending the fuel duty cut would only save the government £2bn per year, or one-eleventh of the £22bn 'budget black hole'. This is a mere drop in the ocean compared to the £788.59bn the UK brought in via tax receipts for the 2022/23 tax year."

Holland commented on the significant impact events since Covid and the invasion of Ukraine have had, with the 5p cut being a "small, often insufficient, but still welcome relief to all that take to the UK's roads". He cautioned: "Cutting it now will stop fleets from being able to rebuild after several difficult years, and we urge the government to rethink this reported move.", reports Birmingham Live.