12 July 2011 Last updated at 12:38 ET

Article written by Deborah McGurran Political editor, East of England

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Average earners hit hard by fuel poverty in Harlow

 

MP Robert Halfon said many of his Harlow constituents were living in fuel poverty

Not content with debates and questions in the House, today Robert Halfon decided to push a car along Whitehall to highlight the plight of Harlow's motorists.

The average earner in Harlow spends a tenth of their income on petrol costs, according to its MP - and that means they're living in fuel poverty.

"It's unsustainable," he said.

"It's the number one issue facing my constituents."

Fuel poverty

The reasoning runs something like this - in Harlow, there are 33,000 households and 37,000 cars and vans. According to the Royal Automobile Club, we drive 9,000 miles a year.

Based on 32 miles per gallon (again, the average for a car currently on the road), an ordinary Harlow motorist is using 281 gallons or 1,277 litres every year.

The cheapest unleaded petrol in Harlow that someone can buy is £1.33 a litre, so in most cases Harlow motorists are spending £1,700 a year just to fill their tank.

For most people, this is £2,200 of income before tax: a tenth of the average Harlow salary.

Pressure on oil companies

Mr Halfon said: "Oil has plummeted, but pump prices are still too high.

"First, the government needs to abandon its plan to increase fuel duty in January. Second, the government needs to pressure the oil companies to pass on reductions in the oil price.

"The pain we will have felt symbolically pushing the car is nothing compared to the misery that high fuel prices are causing in Britain.

"We have to keep fuel costs down to get the economy moving again."

He's standing up for motorists and literally pushing for lower pump prices, along with cross party MPs who are members of the newly formed FairFuelUK All Party Working Group in the House of Commons.