Petrol price in biggest fall since 2008, says AA

[Chippy_Tea]

Overall, the AA says the UK has the seventh-highest petrol price and the second-highest diesel price in Europe.

Now there's a shock. :x


The AA says petrol prices have recorded their biggest fall since 2008, taking the average cost to 132.16p a litre.

The motorists' lobby group said average petrol prices fell 5.49p a litre between mid-September and mid-October, the biggest monthly fall since prices fell 11.5p in November 2008.

The price of diesel has fallen from 142.50p a litre to 139.12p.

The AA said lower wholesale fuel prices had prompted the price drop, but warned that further falls were unlikely.

The organisation says the recent drop in prices means the cost of filling up the tank of a small petrol car has fallen by £2.74, while a larger vehicle, such as a Ford Mondeo, would cost £3.84 less to refuel.

Northern Ireland is the most expensive place for petrol, with an average pump price of £132.9p a litre, and London, the north of England, and Yorkshire and Humberside are the joint cheapest at 131.9p.

Scotland is still the most expensive for diesel at 140.1p a litre, while London is the cheapest at 138.6p.

Overall, the AA says the UK has the seventh-highest petrol price and the second-highest diesel price in Europe.

Higher prices

The AA said further falls in petrol prices were unlikely, because of poor refinery capacity in the UK and the likely strengthening of the US dollar.

The US dollar is expected to rise in value now that the standoff over the country's budget is over and oil is priced in dollars.

The AA's president, Edmund King, said: "A more than £2.50-a-tank cut in petrol costs for families is a dramatic improvement on its own. But, heading into winter with cars using more fuel, the timing couldn't be better."

The organisation said that the situation at the Grangemouth refinery in Scotland, where a dispute between management and unions has led to a temporary closure, had highlighted the UK's lack of refinery capacity.

It urged the government to find ways to support domestic refineries.
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[bobsbeer]

Shame the same thing isn't happening for gas and electricity. :evil:

 

[Megaross]

Oh ********, petrol has skyrocketed over the past few years and no one has done anything about it.

Disgusting it's risen by nearly 40p in a few years, when I remember once upon a time a 2p rise had people blocking the distribution centres until they caved.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If the majority of motorists bought their petrol/diesel from one retailer all the others would be forced to reduce their prices, there was talk about this last time fuel hit an all time high, i would definitely give it a try.

 

[bobsbeer]

The problem with that is there are too many people who insist on paying higher prices at the likes of Shell, BP etc for it to work. They may see a slight dip, but not enough to make them reduce prices.

 

[brewtim]

If the majority of motorists bought their petrol/diesel from one retailer all the others would be forced to reduce their prices, there was talk about this last time fuel hit an all time high, i would definitely give it a try.

It would work until queues formed outside the designated brand and they run dry, then everyone will just go wherever they can to get fuel, making it a pointless exercise. The retailers have no worries.

Got to remember that fuel price rises have not risen in line with inflation over the past 20 years, which is probably why there is apathy, we are all better off relatively speaking so no-one really feels like protesting.

I wonder what the protesting fuel price per litre would be, £1.80, £2.50 £5.00 ?

 

[Jeltz]

The problem with that is there are too many people who insist on paying higher prices at the likes of Shell, BP etc for it to work. They may see a slight dip, but not enough to make them reduce prices.

I generally buy Esso diesel, the garage I buy from usually matches the price of the local supermarkets but the fuel gives noticeable better mileage. Occasionally its a couple of pence higher than Sainsburys etc but even then the better mileage makes it a false economy.

 

[zgoda]

Few years ago there was many rumours here that people will stop driving if the price exceeds 5 pln per litre petrol, now it's 5.50 - 5.60, and it was even 5.95 at some point.

Who has to drive, will drive. Our economy depends on liquid fuels, and so our personal lives. We may protest but we'll pay anyway.

 

[brewtim]

Who has to drive, will drive. Our economy depends on liquid fuels, and so our personal lives. We may protest but we'll pay anyway.

Agreed, try living without a car for a few days/weeks and see how painful it is, great if you work near home and the shops are within cycling distance, otherwise forget it, a car is as essential as a holiday, beer, shower, washing machine, dishwasher, iron and housewife/cook/bottle washer/cleaner.

 

[Cononthebarber]

Yep, they have us by the short and curlys and they know it damn well...we might kick up a stink every so often and they might concede with a few pence here and there. Remember when the price went over £1 a litre and everyone went mental blocking motorways and the likes? Its nearly 50% more to fill up now and were still buying...its a sellers market and the likes of shell, esso and BP hold all the cards

 

[Apricorn]

The problem is that not enough people care about the price of petrol because the difference between a few pence per litre doesnt add up to much when filling the tank. But its the principle that counts. If we reward those stations that charge a little more by giving them our business it opens the floodgates for further price increases. Whats needed is more awareness and an organisation that publicises cheaper fuel to drive prices down.

 

[Dr Mike]

Retail competition can only do do much to drive prices down as the margins (between the wholesale and retail price) the retailers have to play with are tiny. The supermarkets ate probably breaking even at best and only do petrol to get people into their stores.

It's not much different at the next level up. Refineries make little margin between the crude oil price and the wholesale fuel price. That's why the likes of Shell and BP flogged off their UK refineries to the likes of Ineos and Essar.

The only people making major money out of the whole thing are the owners of the oil wells and the treasury.

 

[iceo]

i worked in a petrol station from 2006 to 2011 the price raise about 70p in that time .

we would have a driver that at the start would fill his hgv twice a week about £900 a time but just before i left that had gone up to £1200 before we lost the contact

on a friday we could take £25000 on fuel but the company would only get about 1.1p a pound profit. so the tax man gets his bit

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Whats needed is more awareness and an organisation that publicises cheaper fuel to drive prices down.

This is a good price comparison site, you have to log in to get a list all the garages near you (you don't get spammed with emails)
In my area there is a difference of 5 pence a litre of diesel between the lowest and highest, if you use your car as much as i do every day that is a fair few quid saved every year. :thumb:

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... LANFNcDJmg