Motorists have vented their fury after a website revealed that fuel prices in Hyndburn are higher than in some neighbouring areas.
Recent price comparison figures obtained by the Observer show that filling up with either unleaded or diesel costs more in the borough than elsewhere.
Furthermore, supermarket giants Asda, whose service station in Accrington offers some of the cheapest petrol available in the borough, has come under fire for charging Hyndburn customers up to 4p per litre more than in neighbouring towns on the same day. The figures were reported on the petrolprices.com website.
Taxi company owner Ann Kenyon, said the discrepancies were “outrageous”.
She said: “It’s going to have a really bad impact on everyone and because of this, you could have people (drivers) going under.”
Ms Kenyon, from Rising Bridge, said she does not tell drivers to avoid specific garages but advises them to use “certain ones”.
She added: “We like to buy our petrol locally but if you have to shop around, you shop around. There’s nothing we can do about it.”
Graham Jones MP, said it was an example of free markets not always working “in the best interests of consumers”. He added: “Thanks to price gathering websites this ‘overcharging’ has been highlighted. I hope petrol retailers take note and recognise their responsibility to bear down on prices.”
Asda Accrington was charging 116.7p per litre of unleaded on January 6, compared to just 112.7p on the same day in Rochdale and Horwich - a difference of around £1.50 to fill up a medium sized car. And diesel users in Horwich also paid 4p less at 115.7 on January 11, compared to 119.7 in Accrington. Asda’s rates for Blackburn, Colne and Bolton on the same day were 118.7, 117.7 and 116.7 respectively.
A spokesperson said: “We have a national price cap for fuel so whilst we occasionally have small variations in our pricing to ensure we are competitive locally.” On the same day, January 11, Morrisons in Great Harwood was offering diesel at 118.7p a litre for diesel, however it was also charging 117.7 to drivers in Preston.
A Morrisons spokesperson explained: “Our fuel prices are among the lowest. We check prices every day and if we find cheaper at nearby stations, we cut them. This can cause our prices to differ between different areas.”
Unleaded prices (January 6)
* Asda Accrington 116.7p per litre
* Asda Rochdale and Horwich 112.7
Diesel prices (Jan 11)
* Asda Accrington 119.7p per litre
* ASDA Blackburn 118.7
* Morrisons Great Harwood 118.7
* Morrisons Preston 117.7
* Asda Horwich 115.7
