AFTER putting it off for some time, this month we finally bought a new car – albeit second-hand. Choosing was difficult and really got me thinking about the importance of fuel economy when making the choice.

In Wales mobility is essential but the sparsely populated rural areas, the formidable landscape and the hazy divide between the rural and the urban in the south-east means that keeping Wales mobile is a difficult task.

For many, these factors mean a car is not a luxury but a matter of survival and that the rapid rise in fuel prices will have a bigger impact on people in Wales than it will elsewhere.

The UK already has the second highest diesel prices in Europe and the petrol price is at the higher end of scale. The cost for both in Wales is also higher than the UK average.

Plaid Cymru has tried to find some relief for motorists by proposing a fuel duty regulator in Westminster. Unfortunately, the UK parties did not think motorists deserved such relief and voted down the measure.

Plaid is also pushing for rural areas in Wales to be included in a fuel discount scheme. The rural economy in particular suffers when fuel prices are high because public transport is either infrequent or non-existent and moving goods almost universally takes place through road hauliers.

The reality is that for many, private transport will stop being an option as fuel prices rise, while public transport offers little alternative.

In the short-term the UK Government should reconsider the fuel duty regulator that the Conservatives promised in their manifesto and then failed to deliver. Fuel discounts for rural areas should also be a priority.

But in the long-term we must see a genuine commitment to sustainable transport, both public and private.

Action is needed for affordable, green transport to ensure Wales doesn’t get stuck in the slow lane.

Diwedd/Ends