AA head criticises petrol "rip-off"

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The cost of running a car this Christmas is being exacerbated by petrol stations that are overcharging motorists despite the recent fall in fuel prices.

The average price of a litre of petrol currently stands at 108.32p, with diesel similarly priced at 109.86p per litre. However, some retailers, particularly those in southern England, are taking advantage of the drop by keeping prices fixed at early November prices.

The head of the AA, Edmund King, said the price hike was a "rip-off" that is taking much-needed consumer spending away from the high-street.

Mr King said: "Up until now, fuel retailers have been largely blameless for higher fuel prices - leaving that dubious honour to Government fuel duty and stock market speculators.

"But this sting in the tail of 2009 is clearly unacceptable when set against a track of gradually falling wholesale prices before last week's plunge.

"Drivers can't expect to pay 103.9p a litre for petrol in every town, but being charged as much as 5p a litre more at the cheapest outlet in a substantially built-up area well served by supermarkets is a rip-off."

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