Petrol Station Fuel Cost Rant !!

[Saxo Appeal]

Why are Petrol Stations allowed to inflate their fuel costs at the pump so much?

Just when people really need to use them, they must fork out extra % just because the pumps are on a Motorway...

When travelling home North to Scotland we nipped into a BP Garage, as we only had 3 bars left on the display, and the other half was getting worried.

From paying £1.39 at holiday destination, to then paying £1.67 on the Motorway, to then paying £1.38 in my home town..

It's utterly scandalous, it's not from the need to keep the station afloat as plenty of trucks and cars were stopping to fill!

 

[RogerL]

Why are Petrol Stations allowed to inflate their fuel costs at the pump so much?

Just when people really need to use them, they must fork out extra % just because the pumps are on a Motorway...

When travelling home North to Scotland we nipped into a BP Garage, as we only had 3 bars left on the display, and the other half was getting worried.

From paying £1.39 at holiday destination, to then paying £1.67 on the Motorway, to then paying £1.38 in my home town..

It's utterly scandalous, it's not from the need to keep the station afloat as plenty of trucks and cars were stopping to fill!

It's supply and demand in a (relatively) free economy.

It takes virtually no pre-planning to avoid refuelling at motorway services.

 

[otherclive]

It’s been like it ever since services were built on motorways. The do provide more facilities than just fuel, some of which we use but pay nothing for. There’s a 24 hour service too. Plus drivers are a captive market if they need fuel. The other option is to leave the motorway for a top up at a nearby fuel station/supermarket. Otherwise I’m afraid you have to live with it.

 

[Saxo Appeal]

I think we prefer the idea of, once were on the Motorway it’s stick to it as much as possible to get home, but that is a good idea.

 

[Dustydog]

Sorry Saxo but using a motorway services for fuel is a very bad idea! You get cheated and they rub their hands with glee.

As Clive said pull off and use a normal fuel station. As an example, last year we left the M74 and detoured about 5 miles to Tesco Annan. More than 30 p per litre diesel cheaper than M74 services.

Your choice. I do appreciate they have to transport their staff to motorways and of course everything is more expensive particularly as a lot of the services are ultimately owned by HMG🤮

 

[Saxo Appeal]

Thanks Dusty, this is exactly what we will be doing in the future

 

[GUMPY]

I have never filled on a motorway, plus I have an app that tells me the cheapest fuel stops and use that to plan my stops even if it means a small diversion.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Whilst I can't say there isn't any profiteering going on, but I do know that traders at motorway service areas all have to pay a rent premium for the privilege of trading there. It's been that way since the first motorways opened in the UK.

 

[Buckman]

Has anyone every come across a motorway service station that is relatively quiet? They all seem to have a high turnover in their stores etc. Sandwiches, cokes etc is a lot more expensive than in their town branches. However we still buy the odd sandwich and cup of coffee when travelling, but avoid filling up.

The extra cost of the fuel if for the company is profit as generally the fuel part service station itself is not owned by an individual, but as a company that is charging rental to all the outlets in the shop area, so yes they are ripping off the public! Not sure, but I don't think they own the land, but may be paying a rental to the government?

 

[birdman101]

Back in May we travelled to Cornwall, and son in law filled up at Sedgemoor services and paid 26p a litre more for Diesel than I did just pulling off the A30 a few yards.

 

[RogerL]

Last year I drove Thurso/Dunnet Head/John O'Groats to Land's End/Lizard Point/Helston and did a pre-planned refueling stop at Asda at M5 Jct 2 as it was one of the cheapest near the M6/M5. I only use motorway services for "comfort" breaks.

I always check www.petrolprices.com before any significant journey to determine whether to top-up locally before the trip or refuel cheaper during the journey.

For caravanning trips, I also check Google Earth to see how practical cheap filling stations are for access with the caravan.

 

[Beachball]

We went to Asda supermarket petrol 128.7 near Wrexham when we was away, but at home we can get it for 124.9

 

[otherclive]

Hope we are not heading for a nationwide pricing expose, the thread is about M way service fuel prices and possibly how to avoid them.

 

[GaryB]

If you get caught out by low fuel on the motorway (or getting to the "twitchy" stage about whether you've got enough to complete the journey) just put enough in to get you out of the worry-area. Travelling home from Devon yesterday we pulled into Gloucester services on the M5 and I put £20 in the tank. It's easy to get into the habit of filling to-the-brim at each re-fuel but by only putting a bit in at an extortionate price it reduces the feeling of being robbed. Marginally.....

 

[otherclive]

If you get caught out by low fuel on the motorway (or getting to the "twitchy" stage about whether you've got enough to complete the journey) just put enough in to get you out of the worry-area. Travelling home from Devon yesterday we pulled into Gloucester services on the M5 and I put £20 in the tank. It's easy to get into the habit of filling to-the-brim at each re-fuel but by only putting a bit in at an extortionate price it reduces the feeling of being robbed. Marginally.....

Saves wandering around Gloucestershire with satnav looking for a supermarket forecourt.

 

[Buckman]

If you get caught out by low fuel on the motorway (or getting to the "twitchy" stage about whether you've got enough to complete the journey) just put enough in to get you out of the worry-area. Travelling home from Devon yesterday we pulled into Gloucester services on the M5 and I put £20 in the tank. It's easy to get into the habit of filling to-the-brim at each re-fuel but by only putting a bit in at an extortionate price it reduces the feeling of being robbed. Marginally.....

We pulled into the Gloucester services last month for coffee and sandwich. Not the normal services we are used to stopping at. There seem to be lots of tables laden with loaves of bread. The queues for anything were quite long so we just used the facilities and carried on with our journey. I don't mind short queues, but when they are 10 or more people long, time to move on.

 

[otherclive]

We pulled into the Gloucester services last month for coffee and sandwich. Not the normal services we are used to stopping at. There seem to be lots of tables laden with loaves of bread. The queues for anything were quite long so we just used the facilities and carried on with our journey. I don't mind short queues, but when they are 10 or more people long, time to move on.

Those services features as a “ day out” for trippers and even some local coach operators. Despite them being good I can think of better ways to spend a day out.

 

[Dustydog]

Those services features as a “ day out” for trippers and even some local coach operators. Despite them being good I can think of better ways to spend a day out.

Remember the coach trips circumnavigating the M25 when it first opened 🤮🤮

 

[otherclive]

Remember the coach trips circumnavigating the M25 when it first opened 🤮🤮

Nowadays they would be five day Leger holidays to complete the 360 degrees.

 

[GaryB]

We pulled into the Gloucester services last month for coffee and sandwich. Not the normal services we are used to stopping at. There seem to be lots of tables laden with loaves of bread. The queues for anything were quite long so we just used the facilities and carried on with our journey. I don't mind short queues, but when they are 10 or more people long, time to move on.

Gloucester services try and offer a bit of a niche service by advertising themselves as a "farm shop", conjuring up images of specialty sandwiches and a vast area of different sorts of sausage rolls, pies etc. In my experience you just get the same quality of food offered as elsewhere but dressed up in some sort of artisan offering. At inflated prices!

 

[woodsieboy]

Anybody looking for fuel near Gloucester services, come off M5 northbound at Junction 11a and travel towards Gloucester, Sainsburys at the second roundabout, the outside lane in the fuel area is do able with a caravan on the back
The junction is not so kind southbound and involves travelling towards Cirencester and coming back towards Gloucester

 

[GUMPY]

Anybody looking for fuel near Gloucester services, come off M5 northbound at Junction 11a and travel towards Gloucester, Sainsburys at the second roundabout, the outside lane in the fuel area is do able with a caravan on the back
The junction is not so kind southbound and involves travelling towards Cirencester and coming back towards Gloucester

I was just looking at Petrolprices.com and spotted that, also there is a Tesco Extra on the Cirencester side of junction 11a

 

[Buckman]

I was just looking at Petrolprices.com and spotted that, also there is a Tesco Extra on the Cirencester side of junction 11a

Can only be accessed travelling northbound unless you like driving around the houses. At the Tewkesbury turn off whether travelling north or south bound, fuel stations are easily accessed

 

[GUMPY]

Can only be accessed travelling northbound unless you like driving around the houses. At the Tewkesbury turn off whether travelling north or south bound, fuel stations are easily accessed

Only Morrisons there is comparable in price, everywhere else is 2-5p more expensive. Yes I'm tight😲

 

[Buckman]

Only Morrisons there is comparable in price, everywhere else is 2-5p more expensive. Yes I'm tight😲

I wouldn't dream of taking a caravan into Morrisons.