21.10.08 Price cuts create biggest ever fuel price gap

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Have you noticed the fuel price gap widening in your area?


The price war driving down the cost of fuel in the UK has created the biggest ever gap between the highest and lowest priced fuel, according to data from PetrolPrices.com.

The lowest priced unleaded, as a result of retailers slashing prices over the last week week, is 96.9p. However, the most expensive is 121.9p - a full 25p more. For diesel the spread is also 25p. The cheapest diesel is now 107.9p, and the most expensive 132.9p. A 'normal' price gap is around 17-19p.

Petrol stations have been slashing prices recently as a result of a dramatic fall in oil prices. Last week was the first time the price of unleaded dropped below £1 a litre since December 2007.

However, smaller stations are typically unable to respond to falling oil prices as quickly as big chains, meaning that there is a bigger difference in prices than ever before. The previous record price gap of 20p and 22p for unleaded and diesel respectively was last set on August 12th.

The price gap over short distances has also increased. One example from PetrolPrices.com shows a 15p difference in unleaded over just 5 miles in Northampton. In London, the gap is 20p over just 2 miles. There are similar examples across the country.

A motorist shopping at the most expensive station in London would spend an extra £528* a year on fuel compared to a smart motorist who found the cheapest station in the area using PetrolPrices.com.

It's not often drivers hear good news about petrol prices, but fuel for less than £1 a litre certainly is that. However, not all stations are able to cut their prices as quickly because they bought fuel at a higher price.

When prices are falling the cheapest stations change every day, so drivers should shop around online to avoid getting caught out.

Have you noticed the fuel price gap widening? What's the price difference in your area?

*Based on 55 litre car filling up 4 times a month.

Your Comments

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Received this text this morning:-

Apologies for any racism.

Gupta's wife died so he telephoned the local newspaper to place an obituary notice and on asking the cost was told that it was a £1 for 3 words
so he said "place the following":-

"Sangita is dead"

The editor said that a special offer this week entitled him to 3 words for free
so he thought for a moment and said "place the following":-

"Sangita is dead" "shop still open".

Posted by Moneyman., 17th February 2009 1:24pm

Called by for some topical debate and I find a "Ghost Town".
It seems all there is to be said has been said.
All this time to get nowhere.
Unless you've all gone to Sangita's funeral and you're having a p1$$ up.

Posted by Richard.robertson, 17th February 2009 9:09pm

Crude oil prices dropped below $35 per barrel in New York and lost more than $2 per barrel in London trade as investors worried that the recession will not only continue but deepen before it gets better.

Sentiment is that demand will continue to decline, while bad news on manufacturing in the New York region hurt prices, which have dropped 22 percent since the beginning of the year.

Poor results for the day on equities markets also pushed prices lower, as did new data showing that Japan's economy contracted by 3.3 percent in the fourth quarter and bad news on profits from discount retailer Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT).

March contracts for West Texas Intermediate crude was down $2.58 to $34.93 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while Brent crude for March delivery dropped $2.14 to $41.14 per barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London.

Nymex March unleaded gasoline and April heating oil futures each dropped 8 cents during the session, to $1.13 per gallon and $1.22 per gallon respectively, while April natural gas was down 20 cents to $4.26 per million British thermal units.

The retail prices of gasoline in the United States fell 0.5 cent overnight to $1.96 per gallon on average, according to AAA.


Crude on a downward spiral, dollar shrinking against the pound, euro losing ground.
The cost at the pump rises.
Make sense to you?

Posted by Steve M, 19th February 2009 11:15am

44 ""Re #6.
That's Peak Oil for you, nothing if not repetitively persistent.

By the way Peak Oil and Boris are the same person so don't be fooled.
Watch out for some bashing from Boris.

Posted by Wiseman.c's All., 18th February 2009 8:47pm""


Add this little group,
""Anyway, the few posters with some brain cells (Bandidoz (Jason), Greg Brown, Bubba, Kellerman, Obsidian - even G. browne) will keep you amused I'm sure.""

Posted by Boris, 2nd February 2009 11:13pm"

Is this one and the same person?

If so, then it appears I am me and not someone else.
He is him but not them or me.
They are them but not me or him.
if we are not the same then we are different.
If we are the same then we are as one which means I am me.

Crystal clear then.

Adrian, I hope you are well. Best wishes.


Posted by Steve M, 19th February 2009 12:45pm

This comment has been removed as it was found to be in breach of our Blog Policies.

Since the first posting on 21 October on these particular pages it would seem "peak blog" has been reached.

There is evidence of other blogs being discovered but some are just small pools while others offer more riches to eager seekers.

Times on these pages have been colourful, funny, angry, rude, educational, ridiculous, entertaining and mostly we remained as friends.

I think this blog has dried up now, this area has been sucked dry.

See you on the other side. God bless all of you.

Adrian, God bless you the most.

Posted by Steve M, 20th February 2009 8:45am

Just to let you know Unleaded and Diesel@tesco extra@Burn Lane, Newton Aycliffe is 88.9p/l and 99.9p/l

Posted by Joshua Walker, 28th February 2009 9:13am

Just to let you know Unleaded and Diesel at the pair of total garages are 90.9-91.9p/l and diesel 101.9p/l

Posted by Joshua Walker, 28th February 2009 9:17am

Just to let you know Tesco Newton Aycliffe Extra is

Unleaded: 88.9p/l

Diesel: 99.9p/l

Posted by Joshua Walker, 1st March 2009 8:32am

Sorry! Diesel has just changed to 98.9p/l

Posted by Joshua Walker, 1st March 2009 8:35am

Just to let you know Gulf is

Unleaded: 96.9p/l

Diesel: 110p/l

Posted by Joshua Walker, 1st March 2009 2:57pm

Just to let you know Jet is

LPG: 53.9p/l

Unleaded: 90.9p/l

Diesel: 99.9p/l

Red Diesel: 69.9p/l

Posted by Joshua Walker, 1st March 2009 3:00pm

Asda

U: 88.9

D: 98.9

Posted by Joshua Walker, 1st March 2009 3:01pm

In port talbot w glam, s wales they are the highest around here, they're the same price as motorway petrol,swansea is cheaper and traveling down to exeter was 3 to 5pence cheaper what is it about port talbot, somebody needs to look into this

Posted by David James, 12th December 2009 2:59pm
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