Kingsbridge

A fall in the day-to-day expenses of running a car has slowed the overall total cost of motoring in the UK, a report finds.

RAC Direct Insurance's annual 'Cost of Motoring Index' reveals that average daily running costs for an average family car have fallen close to the levels of 2005, seeing the total cost of motoring rise by only 3 per cent year-on-year, compared with an 11 per cent increase the previous year.

The average family car now costs £5,627 a year to keep on the road, an increase of £162.70 year-on-year.

"The slowing rise in the cost of motoring is at odds with Government and environmental agendas to encourage greater use of public transport," RAC said in a press release. "Added to this, public transport fares are rising year-on-year, often above the rate of inflation, a trend that looks set to continue, with further increases predicted for next year."

The 'Cost of Motoring Index' is an in-depth piece of research that tracks the costs associated with owning and running 17 popular models of car. It pointed to two factors that had helped to reduce the day-to-day running of a car in Britain - a reduction in the cost of car maintenance and a reduction in money spent on fuel.

Car maintenance costs are down by 8 per cent to £273 a year compared with £298 in 2006. The price of fuel has fluctuated throughout the last year with petrol prices around 0.25 per cent lower and diesel prices about 1.2 per cent lower per litre than at the pump a year ago. This combined with today's more fuel-efficient cars has led to a decrease of nearly 10 per cent in the real cost of fuel used per year.

Conversely, those thinking of buying or selling a car will feel the pinch in their pockets, as increased depreciation and higher motor finance costs are pushing up the total cost of motoring. Depreciation is the largest cost factor, as it has been in previous indexes, with the average car now losing £2,357 a year, nearly a 6 per cent increase on 2006. The average motorist is now losing £45.33 a week on the value of their car and the residual value of cars in the index after three years has dropped from 47 per cent to 42 per cent. Adding to this, the cost of borrowing is at a six year high, experiencing a 17 per cent increase since this time last year (£169 more than in 2006).

The average cost of tax decreased by a minimal amount, but owners of 4x4 vehicles have been hit the hardest with a massive increase of nearly 60 per cent in car tax. However, in line with the Government's support for greener motoring, environmentally aware car owners enjoyed a tax decrease of 50 per cent.

David Bizley, from RAC, said: "It's good news that the day to day costs of motoring are in decline, which will help to relieve some of the burden of running a car. However, with both bus and train fares continuing to rise and with growing congestion making journey times unreliable on our roads, the fall in car running costs is unlikely to help Government in its attempts to persuade motorists to make greater use of public transport.

"If motorists continue to be wedded to their cars then financial incentives are going to be needed to encourage the uptake of greener vehicles."

Motorists can calculate their individual cost at www.endsleigh.co.uk/calculators/car.html

The article Falling car running expenses put the brakes on cost of motoring originally appeared on 999 Today