Bowser gougers revealed

THE state’s peak motoring body has named and shamed petrol stations that have been hitting Gold Coast drivers in the hip pocket, with some big names in the crosshairs.

The RACQ analysed which retailers were repeatedly jacking up prices early throughout June.

“Up there we’ve got Caltex, Coles Express, BP – time and time again they are the ones charging more,” RACQ spokeswoman Renee Smith said.

According to the report, Coles Express had the highest average prices across southeast Queensland last month, stinging motorists an average 146.8 cents per litre (cpl) – almost 3cpl more than Caltex, BP and Freedom.

Both 7-Eleven and Pacific Petroleum weren’t far behind, with average prices of 142.9 cpl and 142.7 cpl respectively.

Woolworths was the largest retailer offering prices at the cheaper end of the market, the report said.

Ms Smith said many of the more expensive brands were bigger companies, located on major high-traffic roads.

“Desperate drivers pull in and fill up because it’s convenient, even though cheaper fuel could be just around the corner,” she said.

Meanwhile drivers are being told to fill up now as the price cycle begins to rise again.

On the Coast, they were hovering around 126 cpl for standard unleaded yesterday.

Late yesterday the city’s cheapest fuel was found in the north with 7-Eleven Coomera, Oxenford and Upper Coomera, along with Woolworths Oxenford offering unleaded 91 for 125.7 cpl. United on Nerang-Broadbeach Rd, Carrara, was also charging that rate.

According to Fuel Map Australia, the most expensive was reported at BP Oxenford where it was selling for 165.9 cpl.