MP launches pump war
Laura Routledge • Published 12 Jan 2012 14:00
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NEWBURY MP Richard Benyon is driving a campaign to get equal petrol prices across the county after discovering motorists in West Berkshire are coughing up more for fuel than their neighbours.
Mr Benyon has launched his own initiative and has published a list of the cheapest filling stations in the district. He said: "I recently wrote to filling station owners to highlight the fact that fuel was more expensive in West Berkshire than in areas such as Reading and east Berkshire.
"They replied that this was due to a lack of competitive pricing incentives in this area. I have therefore launched the Let's Create Some Competition fuel price campaign. I have uploaded to my website a list of the best places to buy petrol and diesel locally and am encouraging my constituents to vote with their wallets and create a real incentive for filling stations to compete for our custom.
"If anyone can find cheaper petrol or diesel locally than listed, please let me know and I will update my website accordingly."
Glynis Murdoch, 63, from Tilehurst, said: "I have noticed it's more expensive because I work at Newbury Racecourse and have seen the higher prices over that way. But I'll never get my petrol over there, I'll always get it while I'm in Reading. It is not right but I think it must be because they presume people in West Berkshire are more affluent and can afford it."
Daniel Isaiew , 30, from Shinfield, said: "It's a pain in the backside to be honest and I don't think it's fair at all to have the prices always going up. I'll always get my petrol in Shinfield, I can't afford it over here."
Hollie Ashton, 24, from Calcot, said: "I try not to think about the price of petrol to be honest. It's all so expensive but it's not fair to charge more in certain areas."
Yesterday (Wednesday) the list ranked Sainsbury's in Bath Road, Calcot, Chieveley Motor Company in Long Lane, Cold Ash, and Snax 24 Thatcham in Bath Road, Woolhampton, as the cheapest places to buy petrol in West Berkshire.
The best for diesel were again Chieveley Motor Company and Sainsbury's in Calcot, along with Sainsbury's in Kings Road, Newbury.
Asda in Chalfont Way, Lower Earley, had the cheapest petrol in Berkshire yesterday, with customers being charged 129.7p for unleaded fuel. The BP garages in Wokingham Road and Rushey Way, were both charging 130.9p. In Woodley the only service station is the BP garage in Shepherds Hill, which charges 131.9p for unleaded fuel.
According to m.poynt.com phone app (see below), the most expensive petrol station in Berkshire yesterday was 143.9 a litre at Datchet Green Filling Station, near Windsor.
Shell spokesman Ross Whittam said: "Prices vary due to a range of factors such as distance from the refinery and distribution terminal to the petrol station and the number of customers in the region.
"Greater distance means higher transport costs, while fewer customers means higher margins to cover costs. Fuel is often more expensive in rural areas because these sites tend to be smaller petrol stations with a lower population density and further away from distribution terminals."
View Richard Benyon's full West Berkshire list at www.richardbenyon.com
Have your say below or by emailing letters@readingchronicle.co.uk
*DRIVERS can also find the closest and cheapest petrol stations by using a new mobile phone app.
The petrol search app, which was launched yesterday (Wednesday) [11] by Poynt and Watgas.com, will allow motorists to find the most cost effective places to fill up nearby.
Will Bradley, co-founder of Whatgas.com, said: "Fuel prices have risen significantly for everyone, petrol prices still vary considerably between nearby stations. The smart motorist can save as much as £5 to £10 per tank if they know the best place to fill up. We are delighted that Poynt users will now be able to access the Whatgas.com database to help them find the best station."
Smartphone users can download the new Poynt app by visiting m.poynt.com on their mobile.
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 12 Jan 12
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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Nick
Unregistered User
Jan 13, 09:40
Report commentWhy should every filling station charge the same price? The economics of running say a large filling station selling 12 million litres per year (supermarket site) are very different to a small one selling 2-3 million litres. Seems Mr. Benyon's idea is flawed and can only hasten the already rapid decline in the number of filling stations resulting in even less choice.
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Grim Jim
Unregistered User
Jan 24, 11:27
Report commentRather good timing with the local re-elections coming up. Do you notice the generic bone-idle MPs not to mention Councillors always feign movement at these points in time? Smirk.
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