Petrol prices 'won't deter drivers'

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And as many as 17% of drivers would be prepared to pay more than £2 a litre at the pumps in order to stay on the road, a survey by car insurance company esure found.

Around three in four of the 1,082 drivers polled said they were now worried more than ever about rising fuel costs.

But almost half (47%) said they would never consider ditching their car for public transport no matter how expensive petrol became.

The majority of drivers said the pump price of petrol would have to reach 175p a litre before they considered changing their driving habits.

For younger drivers, the key price for a possible change of transport plans would be 165p a litre but prices would have to rise to 181p for drivers aged 35-54 to turn to public transport.

Scots would be willing to pay the least (168p a litre) before switching to public transport while drivers in south east England would be happy to wait until petrol had reached 184p a litre before hanging up the car keys.

Esure car insurance risk and underwriting head Mike Pickard said: "It is indicative that motorists value their cars highly across the UK. British motorists are used to the convenience of driving their own cars and are clearly prepared to pay the price, however high, in order to stay on the road and keep their freedom. Petrol is seen as a commodity that people are just not prepared to give up.

"In a bid to conserve as much petrol as possible, simple changes to the way you drive can help prevent your car from guzzling up your hard-earned cash. Driving slower, avoiding excessive braking and switching off or turning down air conditioning or heating can all help."