WITH rumblings of an almost unthinkable £2 a litre of petrol, some drivers are turning to car-sharing to save cash.

Since it was launched in August, Oxfordshire County Council’s car-share scheme, where drivers hook up online to share journeys, has attracted almost 400 people – 30 joining in the last month alone.

But office manager Yvonne Swaffar, 56, is struggling to find a car-share buddy.

She makes a 25-mile round trip from Ambrosden, near Bicester, to her job at a building supply firm in Thame. Despite driving at an average 50mph speed, her daily fuel bill is £6.

She said: “I see the same cars coming in and out of Thame every day and I’m tempted to flag some of them down. I worked out if it does go up to £2 it will cost me £9 a day, £180 a month or £2,160 a year, which is a lot of money.

“I live on my own, I can’t change my job because of my age and it’s all just adding up.

“I’ve made as many cuts as I can but I’m really struggling.”

There are no direct buses from Ambrosden to Thame and going by train would mean driving to the station and paying to park.

Paul Watters, spokesman for the AA, said: “£1.50 a litre is not unthinkable, but it’s a strange and volatile market.

“People have been cutting back on their driving. In a survey we did 50 per cent said they had tried to cut back on trips and people were trying to drive more economically.”

Kromer Roger, of Banbury Advanced Motorists Group, said people should drive smoothly and at a regular speed to save fuel.

Motorists should also drive off a driveway rather than reverse when cold, keep tyres at the right pressure, take un-needed weight off the car and brake as little as possible.

He said: “These things can make a major difference to fuel consumption.”

The council said car sharing can save £780 a year in fuel.

Rodney Rose, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “Whether you drive or not, the website provides the opportunity to choose a travelling companion, or even companions, reducing petrol and parking costs, decreasing pollution and cutting rush-hour congestion.”

  • Visit the website at oxfordshirecarshare.com