Drivers fleeced on forecourt as fuel firms cash in Panic buying sparks vicious cycle of price hikes
BRITISH motorists are being fleeced at the forecourt as megabucks fuel companies cash in on the petrol crisis.
Panic buying in recent days has seen hundreds of stations ramp up prices to above £1.50 (€1.76) a litre.
It means filling up the 55-litre tank of an average family car now costs at least £75 (€ 87.87) in some parts of the UK.
It comes weeks after the price of fuel hit its highest level for eight years.
Simon Williams of the RAC warned: “We are aware of a small number of retailers taking advantage of the current delivery situation by hiking prices. When it comes to pump prices, it’s a pretty bleak picture for drivers.”
Motorists have been so desperate to find fuel that Britain’s most expensive forecourt, the Gulf Service Station in Sloane Avenue, West London, has run out despite selling unleaded petrol at 208.5p (244c) a litre and diesel at 197.5p.(231c)
Current UK fuel averages are now 136.59p (160c) for petrol and 138.48p (162.24c) for diesel, but many garages have put up their prices to eye-watering levels.
Charging
Government figures from last week showed the average price for unleaded was 134.86p
(158c) a litre while it was 137.35p (160.91c) for diesel.
But motorists yesterday told how some forecourts are charging as much as 154.9p (181.47c) a litre as fears grew that prices could rise by 10p (12c) a litre e over the coming few weeks as the crisis continues.
In Hampshire yesterday motorists were seen queuing along the M3 to access a BP services where they y were forced to pay £153.9 (189.27c) a litre.
At the Shell garage in Maghull, Merseyside, fuel prices have increased by 3p (35c) a litre since Friday. But a litre of unleaded of is £134.9 (158.04c) — well below the UK average.
Former roads minister Mike Penning said: “It’s an absolute disgrace that motorists are being ripped off by companies who are already making millions from us. It’s clear some are cashing in on a crisis.
“I’ve seen it in my own constituency. Some pump prices have remained unchanged but others have whacked 10p on a litre of fuel literally overnight. They see motorists as a cash cow and frankly there are a disgrace.”
Shares in Royal Dutch Shell closed last night four per cent up at £1,589.95 (€1862.46) and BP jumped nearly 3.5 per cent to 331.3p (€387.86).
Analysis shows BP, Shell, Chevron and Exxon have made almost $1.5 trillion (€1.282 trillion) in profits in the past 30 years as oil,
RAIN SHOWER: Tesco staff directing the queues during a rain storm yesterday at a petrol station
gas and d coal l reserves h have b been exploited l it d t to power an insatiable demand for energy and fuel.
FairFuelUK Campaign founder Howard Cox said: “I am hearing 5p-10p increases are the norm in the last few days.
“Several garages have contacted us in confidence saying greedy wholesalers are pushing up bulk supply prices, not based on oil costs, but because of this latest panic demand.”
Some drivers said some filling stations have deliberately turned off illuminated price displays so motorists only knew how much they were being charged when paid.
One irate customer said: “I filled up my car at £137.9 (€161.53) a couple of weeks ago. When panic buying started prices had risen to £149.9 (€175.61) in the same garage. Last night that same garage was charging £157.9 (€184.99) with petrol seeing a similar price hike.”
One pump attendant at a BP garage in Hampshire said he had sold fuel to panicked motorists dressed in pyjamas at 4am while others had brought plastic containers to stock up, which is illegal.
It was even claimed a woman was seen filling a plastic bag with petrol in St Albans, Herts.
Comedian Paul Chuckle was among those who took to Twitter to express his outrage at being charged 15p per litre more than the price advertised on the
sign at a filling station.
Emergency
He wrote: “Texaco A1 advertise £ 1.39 (€162.81)per litre outside, come to pay and it’s £1.54 (€180.4)per litre. Disgusting. Oh dear oh dear, not like me to rant. Boris Johnson please get lorry drivers back.”
The crisis comes as the world battles a climate emergency.
Gordon Balmer, of t he Petrol Retailers Association, said: “All hell has broken has loose but there is plenty of fuel at the terminals, it’s getting to sites that remains the issue.”
Meanwhile, a former lorry driver who was forced to quit his childhood- dream job after 30 years of declining working conditions blames the current crisis on local councils treating drivers as “lepers of society”.
Jim Titheridge, from Kent, took to Facebook to blast treatment of lorry drivers who can drive for up to 11 hours a day with limited access to clean showers or a parking spot to rest and eat.
The 62-year- old was met with a flurry of support from others who also claimed they were forced to give up work and warned better treatment was needed as drivers are the “backbone of our country”.