Durham drivers are avoiding car repairs because of rising costs during the cost-of-living crisis according to a new study.

Half of car owners (50 per cent) in Durham admitted to avoiding repairs to their vehicles due to the cost, the highest in the UK and double the national average of 25 per cent.

A third (33 per cent) of Durham motorists and 24 per cent of Newcastle drivers also admitted to suffering from stress at least every week about the cost of running their vehicle, again higher than the national average of 21 per cent.

It comes as the average cost of repairing and maintaining a car in the UK hit £479 and fuel prices continued to soar.

The shocking statistics have been revealed in a study by scrap comparison service Scrap Car Comparison.

Read more: Fuel crisis: Andrew Spence planning Newcastle slow drive

Dan Gick, Managing Director at Scrap Car Comparison comments: “Driving a car is a necessity for so many people in this country. It’s how they get to work, take their children to school or get their food.

“To find out just how many drivers are having to avoid getting what could be an essential repair or knowingly drive without an MOT, have really highlighted just how much of a crisis point the cost of living is at in this country.

“Energy bills, fuel costs and food prices are all having an impact on the reason for this, and more needs to be done to address this crisis as soon as possible, before the numbers of potentially dangerous vehicles on our roads rises even more, and becomes a serious health and safety issue, as well as one for our wallets”.

Newcastle also ranked as the ninth most expensive place to repair a car in the last year, with an average spend of £420.

Read more: How to make fuel last longer as petrol prices rise

The cost of owning a car has continued to climb in the last few weeks, with the price of refuelling the average family car hitting £100 earlier this month.

According to the research, 44 per cent of drivers may be forced to avoid repairs in the future due to rising costs.

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