13/09/05 PA File Photo of a petrol pump. See PA Feature MOTORING Motoring Column. Picture credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Photos. WARNING: Rural communities will be hardest hit

THE Government was warned last night that record fuel prices must be tackled in the March budget after new fears were voiced at the impact they were having on families and businesses in East Anglia.

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Charity bosses and business leaders said latest increases at the pump were “deeply concerning” and could have a massive impact on the rural community and economy in Suffolk and Essex.

The price of diesel has now reached 145.9p per litre or £6.50 a gallon on some forecourts, meaning families with a 16-gallon tank are spending more than £100 each time they fill up their car.

Rocketing prices have also been linked to a 70% surge in fuel thefts.

Dr Wil Gibson, chief executive of rural charity Suffolk ACRE, said: “This is bad news, especially for those on low incomes and those already suffering financially. In rural areas people are simply more dependent on cars. The Government is not showing enough consideration towards these communities.”

Dr Gibson said there is extra pressure because small businesses are forced to pass on the rising cost tn to their customers.

“If we’re not careful we could get the situation we saw about ten years ago when people took direct action. I wouldn’t be surprised to see lorries and vans blocking roads as a gesture to how people feel.”

John Dugmore, CEO of Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, said he had appealed directly to the Government to act on prices at the pump.

“The logistics industry is the bedrock of the economy in Suffolk. The record prices in diesel are deeply concerning and are a matter that we as a chamber raised directly with the Transport Minister Therese Villiers when we met with her to discuss the A14.”

Mr Dugmore added: “The Chancellor will deliver his budget in a few weeks time [March 21] and it is fundamental that he uses that opportunity to decrease fuel duty and give businesses a break at what continues to be a real challenging time.”

A spokesman for the AA confirmed that more rural counties like Suffolk and Essex are traditionally hardest hit by fuel prices and said it was up to the region’s MPs to take a stand.

Dr Dan Poulter, MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, insisted that the Government is taking notice of rural areas and concerns.

“I think we have a Government that has taken 10p a litre off the price of fuel because they have listened to the needs of the rural population. That is fuel that is 10p lower than it would have been under the previous Government.”

Dr Poulter, who blamed increases at the pump on instability in the Middle East, said in the long term he wanted to work towards developing greener energy and being less dependent on imported fuels.

Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell said he was “concerned” about how high diesel prices would impact on everyday lives if the cost of haulage and public transport increases further.

“I’m concerned for any increase in prices when wages are pegged and the cost of living is going up. And clearly it won’t be going down if the price of fuel goes up.

“Therefore I feel the relevant Government departments should be, and probably are, looking at why diesel prices, which used to be cheaper than petrol, is now so much more expensive.”

A spokesman for NFU mutual, who insure about 70% of farms, said they had noticed a marked increase in thefts of red diesel – used by agricultural vehicles – as prices at the pumps rise.

Farmers have reported thefts of anything from 50 litres to between 2,000 and 3,000 litres siphoned off by gangs who either keep the fuel for personal use or redistribute it illegally.

And, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act, fuel thefts from vehicles in Suffolk increased from 106 recorded incidents in 2007 to 171 in 2011.

A Suffolk Constabulary spokesman said: “With the increase in the price of fuel and red diesel it is no surprise that it is being targeted more by criminals, often from HGVs and agricultural vehicles.

“We would urge anyone who witnesses someone acting suspiciously or loitering around HGV or agricultural vehicles to call police immediately.”

A Treasury spokesman said: “At the autumn Statement, the Government took more action to help households with motoring costs by freezing fuel duty until August and scrapping a second planned rise altogether. This came after our decision to cut fuel duty at Budget 2011 by 1p, abolish the fuel duty escalator and replace it with a fair fuel stabiliser.”