London Editor

Commuters in rural areas have been punished hardest by the surge at the petrol pumps since the start of the year, figures reveal.

Drivers in West Devon are paying an average of £85.47 a month on fuel to get to work, which is the fifth highest among all UK local authorities, a Countryside Alliance analysis shows.

It means motorists in the largely rural area are paying £34.50, or 68 per cent, more than drivers in an urban areas each month, underlining the dependence on the car among rural commuters.

In Cornwall, the figure stands at £72.93, which is £22 – or 43 per cent – higher than the urban average. Prices at the pump have soared 8 per cent since January.

The campaign group's report heaps further pressure on Chancellor George Osborne to scrap a planned 3p-a-litre fuel tax hike in next week's autumn spending statement.

Jenny Dunn, policy researcher for the Countryside Alliance, said: "The unprecedented rise in fuel costs since the beginning of the year has placed a heavy burden on people who need their car to get to work.

"This burden weighs far heavier on rural people, for whom cars are a necessity due to the long commutes and lack of public transport options.

"The Countryside Alliance is urging the Chancellor to take action on the cost of fuel as a matter of urgency by cutting fuel duty."

She added: "The future viability of rural businesses and communities are under severe threat from the spiralling costs of driving."

In the Commons yesterday, David Cameron hinted that the Government is considering action to help hard-pressed rural motorists.

At Prime Minister's Questions, he was asked whether he agreed rural areas faced motoring costs that are an "intolerable burden".

He responded by saying the Government was "absolutely committed" to bringing motoring costs down for people "who want to work hard and do the right thing". Mr Cameron told MPs: "We took the decision (at the last Budget) not only to get rid of the tax increases on petrol that were coming down the track, but to make a cut in petrol duty."

The Countryside Alliance analysis, based on census data recording the distance to work for each local authority if driving a Ford Mondeo, found on average people living in rural local authorities will pay £67.45 this month on fuel for their monthly commute.

This is £16.50, or 24 per cent, more than people in urban local authorities. Motorists in South Hams are paying £79.15 (£28.20 or 55 per cent more), Mid Devon £70.39 (£19.44 or 38 per cent), East Devon £69.85 (£18.90 or 37 per cent), Torridge £66.83 (£15.88 or 31 per cent), Teignbridge £65.54 (£14.59 or 19 per cent) and North Devon £55.44 (£4.49 or 9 per cent).

Commuters in Plymouth are paying £57.92 (£6.97 or 14 per cent) and Torbay £52.01 (£1.06 or 2 per cent more). In Exeter it is £49.83 – £1.12 or 2 per cent less.