A new survey by the RAC has revealed that the cost of motoring is almost ten times the cost of using public transport in the West Midlands.

The average cost of motoring has risen to nearly £5,000 a year for the eight million owners of cars under three years old, according to the breakdown company.

In contrast, Centro – the body which promotes public transport in the West Midlands – offers a pass that gives the freedom to use every bus across its area for just £10 a week.  If you want to travel on all the Midland Metro trams and all rail services in Coventry, Birmingham and the Black Country it costs only £5 a week more.

The switch to public transport could also reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by around three tonnes per person, according to Government statistics.

In its most comprehensive survey of motoring costs, the RAC discovered that the average motorist pays more in interest on their car loan than the cost of a go-anywhere, bus, Metro and train season ticket for the whole of the West Midlands metropolitan area.  (see news analysis below for details of cost comparisons)

The environmental lobby group Transport 2000 said that the true costs of motoring should be made much clearer to drivers to help to persuade them to use public transport.

Stephen Joseph, the group’s director, said: “If there was a meter in each car showing the total costs of car ownership then drivers would be much more inclined to consider catching a bus or cycling.  Bus industry research shows that most people don’t even take into account the cost of petrol when deciding to make a car journey.  The cost of parking at their destination is the only thing which registers.”

In the West Midlands, Centro provides free car parking at 40 rail and Metro stations.  It’s park and ride scheme is calculated to take more than 2.5 million car journeys a year off the region’s congested roads.