‘Why we charge what we do,’ - Petrol bosses
File photo dated 22/04/08 of a motorist filling up with fuel at a petrol station. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Wednesday March 24, 2010. Alistair Darling will deliver his final Budget before the general election today, under pressure to convince the markets he is serious about cutting Britain's record deficit while offering Labour MPs some pre-polling day cheer. See PA story BUDGET Lead. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire
THE most expensive unleaded petrol in Bedford cost almost 20 pence more per litre than the equivalent fuel elsewhere in Bedford this week.
According to the website www.whatgas.com the BP garage in Newnham Avenue was charging 136.9 pence per litre for unleaded petrol.
That compared to a low of 134.9 pence per litre at other filling stations in town - although Bedford motorists still pay more for fuel than those in nearby towns such as Luton and Milton Keynes.
This week we spoke to a spokesman for BP.
He said: “BP’s pricing policy is based on maintaining value for money for consumers within each local trading area reflecting the location of the site, its facilities and the competition.
“This means the prices can vary from site to site, no matter how close and far away they are.
“Prices at BP’s company owned sites are based on local market conditions taking into account such things as the cost of getting the fuel to the particular site, the price of crude oil as well as the actual cost of producing the fuel.
“We monitor prices on a site by site daily basis and we always try to maintain value for money for our customers as much as possible.
There are currently 1,200 BP-branded sites across the UK, but the firm only sets prices at the 350 or so that are owned and operated by BP - including the Newnham Avenue station.
The spokesman added: “Duty on fuel is something which is set by the government. After road fuel duty and VAT (which make up almost 70 per cent of the pole sign price), plus transportation costs, overheads etc, margins on fuel in the UK remain very tight.
“The actual cost of petrol is still relatively cheap if you take away the 70 per cent of the cost which goes to the government in taxes.”
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Monday 28 May 2012
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