Motoring Discussion > Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: mattbod Replies: 14
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New Wed 9 May 12 21:10 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - mattbod
I was down in Devon recently and Diesel was 4-5 pence cheaper than the South East. I would have thought it would be dearer due to greater travel costs. Anyone know why this is?
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New Wed 9 May 12 21:16 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - MD
It never used to be the case. I always found it to be dearer here probably for the reason you suggested.
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New Wed 9 May 12 21:22 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - VxFan
>> Anyone know why this is?

I was once told it's because the Bristol fuel depot and therefore transportation costs are less to the area.

Certainly used to be the case as fuel used to be 2 or 3p cheaper in Swindon than it was in Oxfordshire. Both areas seem to be the same price now though.
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New Wed 9 May 12 21:26 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - wotspur
Would you like to live down near Bristol and talk funny or in Devon miles fom civilisation.... So there's got to be a few benefits... TIC
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New Wed 9 May 12 21:49 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - MD
>> Would you like to live down near Bristol and talk funny or in Devon miles
>> fom civilisation.... So there's got to be a few benefits... TIC
>>
fom civilisation eh! Leest us can speel proper down ere.

TIC too...x
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New Wed 9 May 12 21:44 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - Harleyman

>> I was once told it's because the Bristol fuel depot and therefore transportation costs are
>> less to the area.
>>


That certainly doesn't apply down this way, and we're on the main road from Milford Haven!

Basically they charge what they think they can get away with; simple as that. One thing I have noticed in the last couple of years, though, is that independent garages and supermarkets now seem to have a much lower price differential.
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New Wed 9 May 12 21:54 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - Bromptonaut
>> Basically they charge what they think they can get away with; simple as that. One
>> thing I have noticed in the last couple of years, though, is that independent garages
>> and supermarkets now seem to have a much lower price differential.

Both those statements are true round here.

In relation to charging 'what they can get away with' ASDA makes a difference as they charge a national price. Northampton which lacks an ASDA filling station is consistently 3-4p litre more than in Leicester or Kettering where ASDA do have fuel outlets. I fill up when visiting Mum in Narboro or if the Missus does if working at schools in the east of the County

The BP station by Northampton station has been equal to or cheaper than Sainsbury's at Weedon Road for over a month (on diesel - petrol is at a premium).
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Wed 9 May 12 at 21:54
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New Wed 9 May 12 22:02 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - Bromptonaut
>> I was down in Devon recently and Diesel was 4-5 pence cheaper than the South
>> East. I would have thought it would be dearer due to greater travel costs. Anyone
>> know why this is?

Usually local competition that's prepared to trade profit per item for volume. In the SW Trago Mills used to fulfil that role - regularly amongst the cheapest in UK when Diesel Car in it's John Kerswil iteration published a league table.
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New Wed 9 May 12 22:16 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - Runfer D'Hills
I buy around 4000 litres of fuel a year for my car to do around 40k miles. To keep all this in perspective, if I buy fuel which is 4p a litre cheaper it's £160 per year cheaper off a bill of £5800 assuming £1.45 a litre. For the motorist achieving the same rate of diesel consumption but travelling 10,000 miles a year, the difference is now only £40 a year. Or to put it another way, 11p a day or 0.4p a mile

Not worth sweating over really is it?
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New Wed 9 May 12 22:24 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - RattleandSmoke
At the moment I am very lucky as the second cheapest petrol station in my part of Sarf Mainchester is only a few hundred yards away.

My local is 137.9p but most round here seem to be 138 or 139.p. One cheeky sod tried to charge 140.9p but I don't think he sold much fuel that day!.
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New Wed 9 May 12 22:29 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - Runfer D'Hills
Paying "the cheeky" chap's extra 2p would cost you oooh, £11.38 a year Rats by my calculations if you do 5k miles a year in your car! Don't let it lose you any sleep...

:-)
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New Wed 9 May 12 22:35 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - RattleandSmoke
It is a matter of principle really, and anyway that is an extra 3 pints you can chat to a lot of ladies with that :).

I know what you mean though :).
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New Wed 9 May 12 22:38 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - Runfer D'Hills
I guess so, especially if you stick to halves and spin 'em out a bit with pork scratchings or a bag of nuts.

:-)
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New Thu 10 May 12 00:11 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - bathtub tom
>>a bag of nuts.

;>~
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New Thu 10 May 12 09:45 
 Why is Fuel cheaper in West Country? - WillDeBeest
The three main variable costs (assuming the base cost of the fuel is fixed) are transport (which costs more in out-of-the-way places like North Wales), labour (which costs more in the Southeast) and property (which costs more in cities and the Southeast.) The Shell diesel I bought in Warwickshire last week would have cost me another 5p a litre nearer home.
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