While welcoming the Conservative Party’s commitment to cut 3p per litre or 13.6p per gallon off petrol and diesel, Michael Fabricant has expressed shock that Safeway’s in Lichfield and Burntwood (as well as in other Safeway
stores) has today announced that the price of unleaded petrol is rising by 5p to 84.9p a litre while diesel is rising by 4p to 85.9p a litre.

"Britain has the highest fuel tax in Europe making ours one of the most expensive places to buy petrol in the world. The Labour Government massively increased the fuel tax escalator in its first budget and we are now reaping the result. This is crippling rural communities like Lichfield. With news that interest rates are likely to rise next month, this will put even more pressure on inflation", says Michael Fabricant.

"But I am concerned that the motorist is being hammered by this Government in six areas other than just fuel costs. 1 – The Government is now proposing the introduction of workplace parking taxes and road pricing. 2 – There are already new restrictions on parking space on new developments. Once, planning guidelines insisted that new buildings had sufficient parking. Now, they prevent them from having enough. 3 – We have witnessed the cancellation of the roads programme, including much needed by passes and widening schemes that would have improved safety and quality of life for many people. 4 – There has been a failure to invest £36bn of motoring taxes in adequate road and rail infrastructure. 5 – The introduction of on street parking charges and reduction of spaces through unnecessary parking restrictions when Lichfield District Council was Labour controlled has damaged local businesses. And 6 – The narrowing and obstruction of roads to create congestion where none existed before such as in north Lichfield. I will be telling shadow Ministers at the Conservative Party Conference at the beginning of October that all these issues need to be addressed" adds Mr Fabricant.