View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Wednesday 19 January 2011

Fuel prices

I have mentioned that fuel prices here in Lewis are at a ridiculous level. This has prompted at least one person of my acquaintance to relocate closer to their place of work, with the object of ditching the car. An average car would take about £60-£70 to fill up with fuel at the £1.49 / litre rates for diesel at the moment. The relocation is apparently a common occurrence at the moment. One thing that annoys me is the variation of fuel prices across the Highlands and Islands. A tanker leaves the refinery at Grangemouth, east of Edinburgh, and supplies fuel oil to the north of Scotland, places like Aberdeen, Inverness, Scrabster (on the north coast) and Stornoway. Why is it though that petrol costs less in Inverness than in Stornoway? There is no justification for this at all.

There is one positive slant - fewer cars around, and possibly people taking to their bikes or shanks' pony. Good for health, unless the pavements and roads are icy.

6 comments:

  1. I'm not good at figuring out what that translates into our currency, but gas is outrageously high here and causing lots of folks to consider how much they want to travel. Most commute to work and need to drive. It could be in the future more will relocate just because of the prices.

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  2. It's The same over here Guido with the price differance.I have seen many walking to work recently out of my window that used to use the car each day.Those who work locally.Somethings got to give hasn't it?Have a good day.Take Care God Bless Kath xx

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  3. Daylight robbery Guido. It's bad enough that we here in the English lakes are paying £1.29. We moan and groan at that as our cars are a necessity.
    Jeanie

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  4. OMG Guido, as Jeanie says daylight robbery,,I ha dthought our £1.30 ltr.(£4 gallon) was bad but not as bad as you have up with you. I can't think why there is such a difference..I have noticed a few less cars on the road of late so perhaps the price is putting folks off. I know even I think twice about going out now..
    Ma was saying that prices are going up in the USA as well but bet they would die of fright if asked to pay about $6 for a gallon !!
    Sybil x

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  5. There's an extra couple of pence per litre for deliveries to Lewis due to the cost of the ferry and you're tying the vehicle and driver up for longer so that will also add another cost.

    I think I worked it out at costing an extra 5p or so a litre to get fuel to Lewis, so there's still 5p or so to be accounted for...

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  6. Tony, I'm sorry for being unclear in my description of a tanker. It is not a tanker lorry, it is actually a ship, such as the - Shannon Trader .

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