Motorists are quite literally slowing down because of the escalating cost of fuel, according to a new survey by car

supermarket giant Motorpoint. A recent poll on its website, involving 1,500 people, revealed that 69% of motorists have changed their driving habits radically since fuel topped an average of £1.20 a litre for unleaded petrol. Only 31% had not altered their behaviour.

Motorpoint managing director David Shelton said filling a car now costs £25 more a month than it did at the start of 2010. "We would urge the new government not to raise fuel duty in its forthcoming emergency budget," he stressed. "Although it has been treated as a soft target by the previous regime, any increases are only likley to exasperate the situation further for motorists already struggling under the weight of record fuel prices."