BRADFORD continues to be a hotspot for sky-high car insurance premiums - after the city bucked a national trend and saw a rise in prices.

According to the latest AA figures, motorists in the district were charged an average of £661.79 for an annual comprehensive policy in the three months up to the end of June.

That is a 0.2 per cent increase on the previous quarter, when the figure was £660.42.

The new figure puts the Bradford postcode at ninth in the most expensive car insurance list - and the city is one of five in the top ten to have seen an increase in premiums.

The AA statistics are an average shoparound premium based on the cheapest five premiums for each postcode.

Bradford East MP David Ward, who has been campaigning for affordable car insurance, said of the latest figures: "It is an indication of what we face here.

"The good news is that it is not going up by five or ten per cent every single year. We have stopped the rot of ever-increasing large increases. A year or two ago we would probably have been top of the list.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

"But there is lots more work to do. People are saying their premiums are coming down - but my goodness they needed to. They are still too high in certain postcodes."

In the top ten worst list, Bradford is better off than London (£922.44), Ilford (£912.07), Manchester (£820.63), Southall (£807.11), Oldham (£794.78), Harrow (£764.89), Bolton (£736.53) and Liverpool (£720). Croydon is tenth at £660.97.

The cheapest premium is on the Isle of Man (£231.49), followed by Kirkwall in Scotland, Truro, Aberdeen, Dorchester, Perth, Exeter, Taunton, Llandudno and Lerwick, all under £297.

Nationally there has been a drop of 6.1 per cent to £504.29, wiping more than £30 off the average price quoted for a new insurance policy.

More locally, Bradford was the only one to see an increase in premiums. Halifax dropped 1.1 per cent to £586.50, Wakefield 1.4 per cent to £517.21, Huddersfield one per cent to £514.89, Leeds 1.2 per cent to £425.43, and Harrogate 1.3 per cent to £332.10.

BRADFORD MP BACKS 20 PER CENT FALL IN CAR INSURANCE PREMIUMS

Asked why Bradford was so high, Mr Ward said: "It is a number of things. We know there are uninsured drivers that police are doing a great job on. We are still trying to deal with personal injury and whiplash claims. The whole of the system was dysfunctional."

He added: "It is never reasonable unless it is coming down. I still believe that in Bradford they are far too high. Certain postcodes in Bradford are still higher than in other parts of the country.

"It is so unfair on many careful, safe drivers who are suffering as a result of errors, and sometimes the criminal behaviour, of others.

"There is still a lot of work to do and we must not give up on it - which I do not intend to do."

Janet Connor, managing director of AA Insurance, said: "The premium reflects the likelihood of a claim being made and, in some urban areas, there is much greater risk of a collision taking place, or of car crimes such as theft of or from a vehicle, uninsured driving or attempts at ‘cash for crash’ fraud.

“Sadly, the criminality of some people has a detrimental effect of the premiums paid by honest motorists in such places."

Ian Crowder, of the AA, added that premiums in West Yorkshire tend to be higher than the rest of the UK, but that London is starting to overtake the county.