Huge petrol cost rises impact on driving instructor’s charges
FUEL prices are climbing to record levels amid the cost of living crisis.
Motorists and businesses have both been severely impacted by the prices rises, going above £1.80 a litre across the UK.
Deucalion McGregorSims, who runs Portsmouth based driving school 1Drive, knows this all too well.
The Fratton born driving instructor said soaring costs have left him on options but to pass on the costs to his customers.
He told The News: ‘‘The problem is fuel has gone up so significantly, you simply cannot absorb those costs.
‘You don’t want to put that onto your customers especially when you know most of them are young adults or students.
Mr McGregor-Sims became one of the youngest driving instructors in the country, becoming fully qualified at the age of 22.
Since setting up 1Drive five years ago, he and his instructors have taught hundreds of across learners across Portsmouth, Gosport, and Fareham. He has seen costs increase significantly over the last two years.
‘You want to try and absorb as much as you can, and make it accessible to everyone, but we’ve had to put our prices up against our will’, Mr McGregor-Sims added.
‘It’s impossible to work around.’
Many motorists will be considering ways to use less fuel in order to save money.
The 1Drive founder recommends you take fewer journeys and double up on them, but the most important thing is your style of driving.
He said: ‘Most people’s driving can improve, and the biggest thing you can do for economic driving is driving in a style that does not bring the car to a stop.
‘Make sure you read the road ahead, not just at the immediate floor. If you see a traffic light turn red 200 yards away, you can progressively slow down, within reason
Other tips which McGregor-Sims suggests to motorists is too not carry excessive weight in the car, use an economy mode if the vehicle has it, maintain your vehicle by keeping its tyres inflated, not accelerating too aggressively, and limiting the use of systems such as airconditioning.
He added: ‘It’s all going to help, especially with the amount of money fuel costs now.’