Haynes has good news for drivers facing £5 per gallon pump prices

Around the country, the average cost of unleaded petrol is about £1.10 per litre with some motorists paying more than £1.20. Diesel fuel averages about £1.20 per litre, rising to more than £1.34 in some parts of the country.

With global oil prices continuing to rise, the £5 gallon is here – and likely to remain with motorists for the foreseeable future. Just now, drivers need some money-saving help and it comes from Haynes the foremost publisher of car and motorcycle manuals. Dedicated to saving motorists money, Haynes offers practical advice for negating the increased cost of fuel.

Mr Haynes, managing director of Haynes Publishing, says: "Unfortunately, high fuel prices are a fact of life. However, there are many ways motorists can actually reduce their fuel bills. Doing so has other benefits – reducing congestion and lowering harmful emissions, for instance."

Haynes has the following advice for lowering fuel bills.

Stay below the legal limit of 70mph on motorways.

Allow extra time for your journey and drive at 50mph instead of 70mph – the Slower Speeds Initiative says this can save you 30 per cent of your fuel bill. But be careful not to frustrate other drivers who may want to press on regardless.

Don't use high engine revolutions (rpm). Change gears so that your engine is operating at its most fuel efficient. This is usually the same as the rpm at which it produces most torque - see your handbook or Haynes manual.

Switch off the engine when stopped for more than a few seconds at traffic lights or in congestion - by leaving it idling you're actually burning fuel and going nowhere.

Check your tyre pressures regularly. If they're under inflated it will cost you eight per cent more fuel (and the tyres will wear out faster).

Don't leave the roof rack on ready for the summer holidays – it adds drag which uses up to 5 per cent more fuel.

Anticipate your stopping so that you use your brakes less - you'll cut down on wasteful acceleration, and save lots of fuel.

If you don't need to run your air conditioner, don't. Your car's air conditioner forces the engine to work harder. Opening the windows instead can increase air resistance at speed and so raise fuel consumption slightly, but not as much as using the air conditioning.

Don't skimp on maintenance. A well-maintained car uses less fuel.

Finally, consider leaving the car at home for short journeys. Walk, cycle or use public transport instead.

Haynes manuals are available for 80 per cent of cars over three years old on UK roads. They contain many tips for saving fuel and show motorists how they can save money on garage bills by doing simple servicing and maintenance tasks themselves.

Haynes Manuals retail at £18.99 (hardback) – less than half a tankful of fuel. They are available from haynes.co.uk or from all good automotive accessory retailers and bookshops including Halfords and Motor World.