New self-service fuel outlets drive prices lower
Petrol prices at the growing number of Timaru’s self-serve only outlets are among the cheapest in the South Island.
From having just one self-serve outlet since 2014 at Pak’nSave, the town now has five – with NPD’s new Washdyke opening at 11am yesterday, joining Mobil at Washdyke (opened November 2019), Z in Stafford St (April 2020) and NPD at Redruth (November 2020).
Fuel price finding app, Gaspy, yesterday listed the cheapest 91 octane petrol in South Island at $1.69 a litre at one outlet in Dunedin but the next cheapest were the four self-serve only outlets in Timaru at $1.73 a litre.
The lowest prices at other South Island locations were $1.84 in Ashburton, $1.82 Oamaru, $1.79 Christchurch, $1.90 Invercargill, $2.06 Greymouth, $1.90 Nelson and $1.82 Blenheim.
In October, The Timaru Herald reported that a new fuel tank farm built by Timaru Oil Services Ltd at PrimePort Timaru and a slower economy were seen as influencing the price drop after complaints that prices in the region had been far higher than other South Island locations.
PrimePort Timaru chairman Roger Gower believed then that the completion of the tank farm had an influence in the price drop, especially diesel.
Yesterday the cheapest diesel in the South Island, again according to Gaspy, was in Dunedin with eight outlets ranging in price from 87 to 99 cents a litre.
Timaru’s lowest from 99c, was cheaper than the $1.06 in Oamaru, $1.07 Invercargill, $1.14 Ashburton, $1.01 Christchurch, $1.16 Nelson, $1.02 Blenheim and $1.39 Greymouth.
NPD’s newest Timaru station, on the
Timaru-Temuka Highway (State Highway 1) opposite Phar Lap Raceway, has eight refuelling locations for light vehicles and eight for heavy vehicles with its 41 metre x 14m canopy the biggest of the company’s 80 sites throughout the South Island.
The company’s chief executive Barry Sheridan said local contractors had done an excellent job with the site, especially lifting the huge canopy into place with apparent ease.
‘‘We’re a South Island, family-owned business, and we are pleased to be supporting the Timaru economy and bringing more competitive pricing.
‘‘We believe that by offering lower prices we’re ultimately benefiting the wider community, making a difference in the weekly budget for families.’’
The Redruth and Washdyke sites are also consented for convenience stores including the company’s Refresh Cafes at a future date.
‘‘Both sites are self-serve but have been designed so that NPD can add their Refresh Cafes and convenience stores at a later stage, creating job opportunities for Timaru.’’
Sheridan said a typical self-serve development generally costs between $2.5 million and $3m. Both sites sell 100Plus, a new high-octane performance petrol and one of the highest octane, road legal petrol grades to be offered in New Zealand.
‘‘Although Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the continued expansion and development of the network, our development programme is still proceeding and will be opening more new sites early in 2021.’’
The Covid effect meant that the company had built 10 new outlets in 2020 instead of a previously signalled 18.
NPD’s new lower Queen St site in Nelson is also due to open before Christmas. In 2021 the company will embark on its North Island expansion.