Government Pilot To Bring Down The Cost Of Motorway Fuel
Tuesday, 13. October 2015
It is very rare for me to run so low on fuel that I am forced to stop at a motorway service station to take on board some diesel but on those very rare occasions it is really irritating to find that the price they are charging is about 20p per litre more than my local Tesco – without the points!
Thinking of a change but unsure as to the best way to finance your car? Then you need a copy of my car finance book, Car Finance – A Simple Guide by Graham Hill. Click on the link below to buy the best car finance book on the market, available as a Kindle Book and Paper Back.
So I applaud the latest Government initiative through the Department for Transport to pilot a motorway sign that forewarns drivers well in advance the cost per litre at the next three motorway service stations. This scheme is set to force down the cost of fuel on motorways as it introduces competition.
Knowing that petrol is 128.9 pence per litre at the next service station in 3 miles but only 125.9 at the following service station in 32 miles, provided you are not running on fumes, you would probably hold on till you reach the following services. The trial will start at the end of the year between 5 different services between Exeter and Bristol on the M5. A further 3 signs are planned to follow in 2016.
The trial followed research that found motorway services charging more than 15p per litre than other forecourts. The initiative was welcomed by Auto Express who had found large variances between motorway services, up to 10 pence per litre and the AA who have been calling for fuel price transparency on motorways for years.
If the trial is successful the Government will consider extending the scheme across the 2,300 miles of motorways in the UK. Let’s hope they do. By Graham Hill
