5 ways to save on fuel when travelling on short journeys

Bristol Street Motors has conducted extensive research to reveal how many hours drivers in England spend carrying out typical everyday journeys. Their research has revealed that Brits spend a staggering 597 hours a year on everyday driving tasks.

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Here are five ways to save on fuel when travelling on short journeys:

1. Drive smoothly and sensibly

Smoothly transitioning through your car's gears could help you save on fuel. Pulling away quickly or over-revving your engine before you change gear could lead to unnecessary fuel consumption.

2. Switch your engine off when waiting

Waiting outside the school gates for your child at the end of the day? Switch off your engine (pictured above)

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Not only will it reduce the amount of fumes outside the school gates, but you’ll also reduce your car’s fuel consumption.

3. Maintain your car

Keeping your car in good condition is one of the best ways to save fuel. Make sure your car is serviced regularly and keep tyres inflated to the correct tyres pressure.

4. Adjust your travel times

If you can, travel at quieter points in the day. For example, heading into work for 9am will likely mean you’ll hit rush hour traffic and spend time idling in queues of cars.

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With many businesses now offering flexible working, could you start your day working from home and commute to the office when the roads are quieter? Planning your journeys around the times when roads are quietest could reduce your fuel usage.

5. Combine journeys

Warm engines are more efficient than cool engines. If possible, try to combine your journeys as much as possible.

A spokesperson from Bristol Street Motors commented: “When we think of car journeys, we immediately think of the longer, road trip-style drives we do. But it's the shorter distance driving that takes up a lot of our time, with our research showing we spend nearly a month in our cars each year!

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With the cost of living increasing, it's important to take the steps needed to save in these smaller car journeys if we can. Driving more economically and keeping on top of any maintenance our vehicles require can help us save fuel and prevent bigger problems developing that could cost more down the line.”

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