A DRIVING instructor says he has been left with no choice but to pass the cost of rising fuel prices onto learners as he struggles to make ends meet.

Tariq Musaji, 54, has also warned competitors are now turning their backs on the profession due to cost-of-living crisis.

It comes as the price of fuel continues to rise with the RAC revealing the cost of filling up a whole tank of fuel in the average family car has risen above £100.

Mr Musaji, who is from Wickford and runs Farrah Driver Training, says the rising cost of fuel is eating away at his profits and means he has had to make changes to his services.

This includes increasing lesson costs and removing shorter, less cost-effective sessions.

“Most learners do understand but I have had to pass the costs onto them,” he said.

“I have put the lessons up by about a few pounds for sessions and I now am doing longer lessons of two hours so it is not a waste of fuel.”

He added: “I do know some drivers have left the profession due to the cost of fuel and they want more stable jobs.

“It’s especially bad for those who are not well established and are just starting out.

“I have seen discussion about this on social media and in online forums and I know it’s a concern for some instructors.”

Drivers are recommended to shop around for fuel, with prices varying across fore- courts in south Essex.

According to PetrolPrices.com, the cheapest place to buy unleaded petrol in Southend yesterday was the Esso garage in Southchurch.

The cost was 182.9p per litre.

Other forecourts with low prices included Jet in Rochford where petrol was 184.7p per litre and Esso in Rayleigh Road at 185.9p.

The cheapest place to buy diesel in Southend was the BP garage in The Fairway where it was on sale for 193.9p.

In Basildon, Asda at the Eastgate Centre had the cheapest unleaded petrol yesterday at 186.7p per litre.

The Esso garage in Church Road meanwhile had the cheapest diesel at 190.9p per litre.

All prices were correct as of day of publication.