Petrol retailers are experiencing hostility from drivers that forecourt prices are rising again – yet they say that a springtime increase is normal, and that they cannot be blamed for "financial speculators investing in the oil market, and the government’s refusal to cut the UK’s high fuel taxes", according to Ray Holloway, director of the RMI Petrol Retailers Association (PRA).
Instead they suggest that individual motorists adopt better fuel economy measures if they wish to fill up less often.
Drivers should avoid the ‘heavy right foot’ and accelerate or brake smoothly, ensure that their gear changes keep the needle on the rev counter steady, remove roof racks and close windows when travelling fast.
Finally, to match the aerodynamic optimum, and they should take heavy items out of the boot to keep the car as lightweight as possible.
They also need to check the obvious – that their tyres are correctly inflated, according to the manufacturers manual. This should be done once a fortnight.
In fact Ray Holloway believes that the upward trend for spring price rises may be less costly this year. He says: "US demand will be lower than normal, as motorists in America find themselves paying for fuel at a record high; the equivalent of 54 pence per litre."
