Car running costs rise 20% in a year

The average annual cost of running a car has soared more than 20 per cent since April last year.

A hike in insurance premiums and a rise in petrol prices account for most of the overall increase, the survey by Sainsbury's Finance showed.

The average running cost is now 3,089 - a 21.1 per cent increase from 1 April, 2010.