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Pricey Brinnington garage is top of the pumps

Special Stockport Express report by Alex Scapens
25/ 6/2008

Stockport drivers are paying up to £1.39 for a litre of fuel thanks to ever rising oil costs.

In the Stockport Express survey of all borough garage forecourts, Brinnington Service Station, on Brinnington Road, came out the most expensive with diesel at £1.39 and unleaded petrol costing £1.29 per litre.

As of yesterday (June 24) the average cost at Stockport's pumps was 118.4p for unleaded and £1.32.4 for diesel.

Our previous survey in January found the figures to be 104.2p and 109.2p respectively, meaning prices have soared by 17 percent.

And it is predicted this upward spiral could spell trouble for the haulage industry and consumers as rising costs of transporting goods are passed on to the consumer.

Neil Walker, from Robert Walker Haulage Ltd, in Woodley, said: "It is very dear and it’s really become a problem since October. Anyone in the industry is being decimated. The cost of delivering goods has gone up, which leads to the prices of goods rising. Things will have to stabalise otherwise small family size haulage businesses will disappear."

Although Mr Walker acknowledged the rising fuel cost was a global problem, he said the Government should cut tax on fuel - estimated to be two thirds of the current price.

Locally, any motorists wanting to fill up at ‘bargain’ prices should call at Shell, on Buxton Road, Great Moor, for unleaded.

And Bramhall’s Tesco Express, on Woodford Road, or Shell on Ack Lane East, Bramhall, for diesel.

Firaz Patel, manager of Brinnington Service Station, said: "Our buying price is high because we buy on a spot basis and are not in contract with petrol companies as we are a small, independent business. Then we have to build in a margin."

He added the reason prices were not advertised on the sign in front of the station was because it was broken. According to the AA website, average fuel costs in the UK are £1.18p per litre of unleaded and £1.31p for diesel.

But for some the current situation is not all bad news. Kate Eldridge, from the Stockport branch of Friends of the Earth, said: "Rising fuel prices are a symptom of our excessive consumption of a finite resource - oil.

"The extra oil tax revenues should be invested in improving public transport so that people have a reliable alternative to their cars."

Ash Garage, in Heaton Norris, pointed out the cost of their garage includes attended service.

See Stockport Express for full price table.

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