September 14th 2005: Fuel Protests II

[cwathen]

I've been predicting this for a while now, and it's now happening. Just as in September 2000, the hauliers have decided that enough is enough and diesel topping £1 / litre (as it pretty much universally will inside a week if the current trends continue) cannot be tolerated and have given the government until September 14th to lower the tax on it and bring fuel prices back under control. If they do not, they will stage a repeat of the blockades at fuel refineries which succesfully knocked 20p / litre off of average prices last time.

I welcome it, present fuel prices are more than taking the piss and cannot go on (especially since they are STILL going up - it was only a month ago that we were outraged at garages going over 90p - it's now all but impossible to find one that's still AT 90p, let along below it). It worked last time, and I've no doubt that it will again. Perhaps best to fill up your tanks over the weekend.

[Nick Harvey]

Indeed, I think this is the key, pardon me if I don't type it all out again.

Reducing the tax per litre would be easy at present, without reducing the overall amount of fuel tax collected beyond, say 2000, levels.

As has been stated in this thread, for every penny we spend on the actual fuel, we pay roughly two pence in tax.

That means that every time the fuel company puts the actual fuel up by a penny, the government gets an extra two pence in tax.

I would estimate that they could knock about five pence a litre, possibly more, off the tax at the moment and still be collecting more in total than they were in 2000.

[tvmercia]

around these parts its interesting to note that in some cases supermarket forecourts are selling at the same price as branded garages, which suggests the retailers are squeezing their margins as much as poss, whilst the government continue to rake it in.

[cwathen]

around these parts its interesting to note that in some cases supermarket forecourts are selling at the same price as branded garages, which suggests the retailers are squeezing their margins as much as poss, whilst the government continue to rake it in.

Indeed, the people I often feel most sorry for are the poor sods who have to sell the stuff. I can't think of a worse business to own than a petrol station when you have to cut costs to the bone just to offer your product at a vaguely competitive price and even the most modest profit margins causes the cost of your product to rocket to the point when you are accused of ripping people off.

It amazes me that anyone other than oil companies themselves actually want to sell fuel these days - despite it's high price virtually all the money to be made in it is divided between the oil companies and the government.

[babyben]

around these parts its interesting to note that in some cases supermarket forecourts are selling at the same price as branded garages, which suggests the retailers are squeezing their margins as much as poss, whilst the government continue to rake it in.

Indeed, the people I often feel most sorry for are the poor sods who have to sell the stuff. I can't think of a worse business to own than a petrol station when you have to cut costs to the bone just to offer your product at a vaguely competitive price and even the most modest profit margins causes the cost of your product to rocket to the point when you are accused of ripping people off.

It amazes me that anyone other than oil companies themselves actually want to sell fuel these days - despite it's high price virtually all the money to be made in it is divided between the oil companies and the government.

But, a good 24-hr garage with the right location can rake it in with food/confectionary/smokes etc and bits and bobs.

[Jamez]

Too bloody right.

Now that all the supermarket petrol stations close at midnight and hand over to Pay @ Pump, you are forced to go to the Paki owned Total petrol stations, and pay around 70p more for a packet of cigs!

Everything is so much more expensive in franchise petrol stations. Bottle of coke is 77p in Tesco. In the Paki petrol stations it's £1.10. Sandwiches are the biggest rip off. Ginsters Chicken salad sarnies are a whopping £3.10 for two! That's £1.55 per sandwich, or 40p a bite!!!!

Supermarkets have shot themselves in the foot by closing their forecourt shops at night time.

[Dr Lobster*]

Too bloody right.

Now that all the supermarket petrol stations close at midnight and hand over to Pay @ Pump, you are forced to go to the Paki owned Total petrol stations, and pay around 70p more for a packet of cigs!

Everything is so much more expensive in franchise petrol stations. Bottle of coke is 77p in Tesco. In the Paki petrol stations it's £1.10. Sandwiches are the biggest rip off. Ginsters Chicken salad sarnies are a whopping £3.10 for two! That's £1.55 per sandwich, or 40p a bite!!!!

Supermarkets have shot themselves in the foot by closing their forecourt shops at night time.

we're lucky enough to have a safeway 24 hour bp garage around where i live, so the food is no different to morrisons prices.

the highest petro price i've seen so far is 99.9 and the lowest, 94 for standard unleaded.

i do look forward to any blockades - the madness last time round was quite exciting, plus i think i may have managed to scrounge a day off work (even though i couldn't drive at the time - the bus i took didn't turn up)

[Anonymous]

Too bloody right.

Now that all the supermarket petrol stations close at midnight and hand over to Pay @ Pump, you are forced to go to the Paki owned Total petrol stations, and pay around 70p more for a packet of cigs!

Everything is so much more expensive in franchise petrol stations. Bottle of coke is 77p in Tesco. In the Paki petrol stations it's £1.10. Sandwiches are the biggest rip off. Ginsters Chicken salad sarnies are a whopping £3.10 for two! That's £1.55 per sandwich, or 40p a bite!!!!

Supermarkets have shot themselves in the foot by closing their forecourt shops at night time.

Ah, the insults again you EVIL RACIST.

There we go folks proof that James Trout-Astella is an EVIL "ANTI-PAKI" RACIST.

[Spencer For Hire]

Lovely lovely...

I'd welcome more fuel protests if they're likely to bring down the cost of petrol. However wasn't there some legislation passed after the last time to stop such action, which is why the most we've seen since are placard-waving protests outside refineries, but no actual blockades to stop tankers leaving?

[Andrew]

around these parts its interesting to note that in some cases supermarket forecourts are selling at the same price as branded garages, which suggests the retailers are squeezing their margins as much as poss, whilst the government continue to rake it in.

Near me there is a long established Shell petrol station and about 2 years ago a Tesco petrol station opened just down the road. It does seem that to stop the Shell station becoming unpopular they fix the price so it is identical to Tescos.

Which is currently 89.7p I believe.

[babyben]

Which is currently 89.7p I believe.

That's cheap! My local price is 99.9!