Misfuelling, congestion charge, speeding, bus lane and parking fines are responsible for the huge rise in costs for drivers and businesses alike.
For leasing giant Lloyds TSB Autolease, misfuelling repair costs alone are expected to rise this year to over a quarter of a million pounds for its 130,000 fleet. The 67% increase in cost over the past year has been put down to manufacturer’s recommended guidelines and the increase in the number of drivers swapping petrol for diesel.
According to RAC research, there were 33,000 reported incidents of misfuelling last year. With an average repair cost standing at £400 per car, that adds up to an astonishing £13.2m.
Lloyds TSB Autolease has called for businesses to provide more driver education on misfuelling until manufacturers provide a technical fix.
Drivers have also been praised and damned in equal measure by the ninth biggest leasing company ALD.
The company has praised drivers for a 30% reduction in c-charge fines but also criticised them for the lack of a reduction in fines for other offences.
Currently, leasing firms and companies that own their cars receive the fines, creating mountains of paperwork as offences for HR departments, putting them under immense strain and generating huge admin costs.
ALD put the congestion charge reduction in penalties down to driver familiarity for the controversial London road toll.
