By IRNA,
London : A majority of motorists blame the British government for the record increase in petrol and diesel prices, according to a poll of members of the Automobile Association (AA).
The motoring association found that 49 per cent of its members believed the UK government was the most responsible for the rise, compared with 22 per cent that blamed oil producing countries and 20 per cent saying it was oil companies.
The strength of feeling among drivers was underlined by 55 per cent saying that the government benefited most from the record prices because of the high level of fuel taxes against 30 per cent believing it was oil companies and 13 per cent producer countries.
The findings follow a series of road protests in many British cities over the past month with fuel prices rising by nearly 20 per cent in the past six months alone.
The poll showed that 38 per cent of respondents said they would vote for a different party if petrol or diesel broke the 125 pence a liter (Dlrs 2.50) barrier.
The AA said that while average petrol prices had reached 118.51 pence per liter, diesel had already broken through the broken through the threshold reaching 131.72 pence a liter on Sunday.
If prices continue to rise, the warning was 63 per cent would vote against Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Labour government at the next elections. Should fuel costs top Pnds 2 a liter, 63 per cent of motorists also said they would be ready to take to the streets.
It was calculated that motorists were now paying an average of Pnds 1,800 a year to the British Treasury by way of taxes, an increase of 50 per cent, since Labour first came to power back in 1997.
AA president Edmund King said that the message from the poll was clear that motorists have little faith in politicians to deliver motoring-friendly policies.
“There is a vacuum on issues that affect the majority of voters.
This is on a range of issues including fuel prices, taxation, and road maintenance,” King said.
“Despite massive increases in the global cost of oil, motorists still blame the Government,” he said, suggesting ministers needed to act now to alleviate their fears of motorists, by immediately abandoning plans for another increase in duty in October.
More than 50 per cent of fuel and diesel prices is made up by way of duties and taxes. In addition, drivers also have to pay an annual vehicle license cost that was originally supposed to be spent on maintaining roads but now goes into the government’s purse.