Harrogate Tesco reopens after running out of fuelFuel thieves strike at Harrogate petrol stationsCall for review into ‘grossly unfair’ fuel price disparities in North Yorkshire

A councillor has called on the government to intervene on fuel prices because some motorists in North Yorkshire are paying 10p per litre more on petrol or diesel than others.

The Competition and Markets Authority found last summer there were “significant differences in price” between forecourts across the UK.

The issue was raised during a recent meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s Skipton and Ripon area constituency committee.

Nick Brown, the Conservative councillor for Wathvale and Bishop Monkton, said he was surprised to recently pay £1.359p for a litre of fuel at Bishop Auckland in County Durham whereas in Boroughbridge the price was 10p more expensive.

Cllr Brown asked Julian Smith, the Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, if he could lobby the government to launch a review into the issue. 

He said:

“There is effectively a rip-off for customers of petrol and diesel. Could you press for an urgent review by government into fuel prices?

“I can’t believe that a 10p difference is justifiable for 40 minutes down the road. The RAC have been banging on about this for quite a while but nothing has been done. There needs to be a proper review.”

Mr Smith said:

“I do agree there’s huge inconsistencies in rural areas. We can lose out. I’m happy to write to the business department about that.”

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The main factor for petrol prices is whether there is much competition nearby, including from supermarkets who offer cheaper fuel.

Companies that run petrol stations in remote locations also argue they sell less fuel so have to charge higher prices to cover their overheads.

Fuel prices have remained high since the Russian invasion of Ukraine although they have fallen since last year when petrol and diesel could be bought for over £2 a litre for the first time ever.

Asda petrol station on Dragon Road during the fuel supply crisis in September 2021.

Asda petrol station on Dragon Road during the fuel supply crisis in September 2021.

In last week’s budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended a 5p cut in fuel duty for another 12 months.

Andrew Williams, independent councillor for Ripon Minister and Moorside, said “there’s no competition” for fuel in Ripon, which has meant motorists at the pump have suffered. 

He said:

“The fuel price in Ripon is usually 3p higher than in Boroughbridge and there’s a difference of 8p between Ripon and York. It seems grossly unfair.”

Harrogate fuel station breaks £2 a litre threshold for diesel

For the first time ever it now costs over £2 a litre to fill up with diesel at a fuel station in Harrogate.

A photo taken outside Texaco on Skipton Road reveals it is the place in the town to have broken the £2 barrier for diesel, with others in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon heading in the same direction.

Prices at the pump are rising due to increases in the cost of crude oil, which is used to make petrol and diesel.

Diesel in particular has jumped sharply over the last few days. Trade publication Rigzone blames the Russian invasion of Ukraine for a shortage of barrels across Europe this week.

This week’s rail strikes will also see more commuters using their cars which will increase demand and could push up prices.

This month it was announced that it now costs over £100 to fill up a 55-litre family car, which motoring body RAC called a “truly dark day” for motorists.

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Where is the cheapest place to fill up?

The website PetrolPrices publishes up-to-date fuel prices at sites across the country.

It says the cheapest place to fill up in Harrogate is at Asda where it’s currently 182.7p per litre of petrol and 190.7p for diesel.

In Knaresborough, it is Co-op Manse Road where petrol costs 188.9 per litre and diesel is 191.1p.

In Ripon petrol is cheapest at BP where it currently costs 188.9p per litre. Esso is the cheapest for diesel at 192.9p per litre.

How has the rise in fuel affected you or your business? email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk 

Petrol station in Harrogate district has joint most expensive fuel in country

Wetherby Services on the A1 has the joint highest petrol price in England — costing an eye-watering 202.9p per litre to fill up.

Prices at the pump have risen yet again this week due to increases in the cost of crude oil, which is used to make petrol and diesel.

The website PetrolPrices publishes up-to-date fuel prices at sites across the country.

It shows the BP station at Wetherby Services has passed the £2 per litre threshold and is now the joint highest petrol price in the country.

It’s the same price as other BP motorway petrol stations in Cumbria, Sunderland and Wiltshire.

It was announced today that it now costs over £100 to fill up a 55-litre family car, which the motoring body RAC called a “truly dark day” for motorists.

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In Harrogate, PetrolPrices says the most expensive place to fill up is Texaco on Skipton Road where it costs 197.9p a litre for petrol and 194.9p for diesel.

The cheapest place for petrol is Morrisons in Starbeck, where it’s 170.4p.

For diesel, it’s Asda where it currently costs 181.7p

In Ripon’s three petrol stations, the most expensive is BP where it costs 183.9p for petrol. The cheapest is Morrisons at 180.9p.

In Knaresborough, the Co-op on Manse Road has the most expensive petrol at 184.9p.

Council could sell Harrogate district grass verge cuttings

North Yorkshire County Council will trial collecting the grass it cuts from verges, saying cuttings that have for years been left to rot away are “a potential revenue-earner”.

The council will examine the commercial demand for harnessing energy from the cuttings to boost the country’s electricity supply while also improving the biodiversity and appearance of its road network.

The authority has approved investigating the benefits of taking grass cuttings to one or more anaerobic digesters as it continues trials of alternate rural grass cutting regimes to identify ways it can help to enhance flora, while ensuring changes grass cutting regimes do not impact on highway safety.

It comes days after Harrogate Borough Council said it intended to repeat last year’s experiment of leaving parts of the Stray to grow wild to encourage biodiversity.

Three-year trial

The trials at about 20 locations across the county are set to last three years.

Following the authority significantly reducing the amount of verge mowing in 2015 to save an annual £500,000 as part of austerity cutbacks, grass cutting and verge management has continued to be one of the leading issues raised by residents.

With county council-funded cuts in urban and rural areas reduced to five and two per season respectively, the authority has been approached by several town councils seeking to enhance biodiversity in their communities.

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An officer’s report states while cut grass is currently left on the verges to decompose, the authority is preparing a proposal for funding from its Beyond Carbon programme to allow for a commercial cut and collect operation to be assessed, alongside identifying the “wider appetite for verge cutting material” from anaerobic digestion firms.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, the authority’s executive member for access, said although collecting the cuttings would cost more, the grass could be used at the Allerton Waste Recovery Plant near Knaresborough to generate electricity and make money for the authority.

He said:

“If you remove the grass cuttings, the advantage to the environment is it makes the soil much less fertile which would encourage the growth of the sorts of wildflowers, such as buttercups, poppies and cornflowers that people would like to see on their verges.

“Leaving the grass cuttings on the verges tends to encourage only the growth of nettles and course grass.”

The authority’s leadership believes that with the relatively simple change of collecting the cuttings they could see what was a lose-lose situation transform into a win-win one.

Cllr Mackenzie said:

“You get criticism from both sides of the spectrum. Certain people say because some verges have been left uncut they look untidy while others question why the verges are being cut as it doesn’t encourage biodiversity. While we get criticism from both sides, if we are in the middle we are just about getting it right.”

Harrogate district taxi fares to rise by 5% to help drivers with ‘crippling’ costs

Taxi fares are set to rise in the Harrogate district after the council-backed drivers’ calls for an increase to help cover soaring fuel costs which this month hit another record high.

The 5% fare rise will come into force from May 1 if no objections are raised.

It will make the Harrogate district the 14th most expensive council area for fares in the UK, according to a council report.

The rise was approved by Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing and safer communities, councillor Mike Chambers, on Tuesday after requests from several drivers.

This included Richard Fieldman, owner of A1 Cars Ripon, who said fuel prices have been “crippling” for the trade and that while he welcomed the decision, it should have been made sooner.

He said:

“I’m very pleased to see this passed because it is exactly what we asked for, even though the fare formula showed we needed a 11% rise to cover our costs.

“One thing that has really disgruntled me though is the length of time it is taking to implement this.

“I made the request in November and by the time it is introduced, it will be nearly a year and a half since our last increase in December 2020.

“In this current time when drivers are shouldering rising expenses and some are leaving the trade because they can’t make it pay, it is appalling for the council to show no urgency.”

Kevin O’Boyle, owner of Central Taxis and the longest holder of a taxi license in the Harrogate district, also welcomed the 5% increase which he said struck a balance between the needs of customers and drivers.

He said: 

“We realise the fare formula said we needed a 11.4% rise, but times are not normal and everyone is having to bite the bullet.

“We as drivers felt 11.4% would be too great for the public – and while we would have gained more money in fares, we would have had people stopping using taxis because they would be too dear.”

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Fuel is the biggest expense for taxi drivers and petrol prices at the pumps reached 148.02p a litre at the weekend, while diesel hit a new record high of 151.57p a litre last Thursday.

This comes after a big drop in taxi earnings during the Covid lockdowns when some drivers abandoned the trade for other work.

Last November it was estimated that as many as 60 drivers in the Harrogate district quit with many now in new jobs and little desire to return.

Mr Fieldman said the 5% rise would go “some way” to keep drivers in their jobs as he also expressed hopes that trade will pick up after winter.

He said:

“We are still struggling and I just hope as we get into spring things improve for the trade and that drivers will be able to carry on and make it profitable.”

The 5% rise will be on the running mile and waiting times of journeys, and there will also be an increase in starting prices from £3.40 to £3.60.

It means customers will pay a maximum of £5.37 for a one mile journey, or £24.27 for 10 miles.

A council spokesperson said:

“We are required to strike a balance between setting a fare that is acceptable to the customer and the taxi driver.

“These proposed fares are currently out for public comment, and should there be no objections, the changes will be implemented on 1 May.”

Harrogate district taxi drivers call for 5% fare increase

Harrogate district taxi drivers are calling for a 5% increase in taxi fares to help cover soaring fuel prices and a decline in earnings due to covid.

“Please help us” is one of several messages sent from taxi drivers to Harrogate Borough Council, which will hold a licensing meeting on Wednesday next week to consider the request.

It comes after 2021 saw record costs for both petrol and diesel in the UK, with diesel hitting prices of over £1.50 per litre for the first time in history.

Local cabbies also said rises in vehicle prices and parts and the climbing cost of living had contributed to them asking for a fare increase.

One taxi driver told the council:

“It is sometimes very difficult to strike the correct balance between what is a reasonable fare increase and keeping our loyal customers happy.

“That said, we have witnessed in the past six months an increase of more than 30% in our fuel costs alone and there is a lot of talk that fuel could reach £2 per litre by mid 2022.”

Another said:

“Since the pandemic there has been a huge increase in customers paying by card which attracts card reader fees. Due to card payments there has also been a very significant loss of tips.”

The request from taxi drivers is for a 5% rise on the running mile and waiting times of journeys, as well as an increase in starting prices £3.40 to £3.60.

Harrogate district taxis among the most expensive

According to national trade newspaper Private Hire and Taxi Monthly, the Harrogate district is currently ranked as the 31st most expensive council area in the UK, charging £7 at 2 miles.

And if approved, the proposed 5% rise would move the district to 14th in the table.

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However, taxi drivers have argued Harrogate’s position is not as high for journeys above the two-mile mark.

In November, there were warnings that as many as 50 taxi drivers in the district had quit during the previous lockdowns and that many have now found new jobs with little desire to return to the trade.

This came shortly before the council froze taxi licence fees for the second year running due to the impacts of the pandemic.

Speaking at the time, Gareth Bentley, licensing manager at Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“Whether we will get a new set of drivers coming to replace the 50 we have lost – only time will tell.”

Low response to consultation

Mr Bentley said in a report to next Wednesday’s meeting that a consultation on the proposed fare increase had been held with 500 taxi drivers, although the response rate was low with only 30 drivers taking part.

He also said while the council’s licensing committee would consider the rise request at the meeting, it would be the cabinet member for housing and safer communities, councillor Mike Chambers, who would make the final decision.

Mr Bentley added:

“The setting of fares is a statutory duty placed upon the council and it is the council’s responsibility to strike a balance between setting a fare that is acceptable to the customer and to the taxi driver.”

Fuel Watch: Harrogate district forecourts continue to battle demand

Fuel stations across the Harrogate district are trying to refill as the government urges drivers to reduce demand for petrol and diesel.

Some forecourts remain closed but many are back up and running across the area. So we have created this live blog to help those in need find fuel.

Have you just been to fill up? Help other drivers in need by letting us know what the situation is like at your local petrol station.

Send an email to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk with your reports and we will add them to this rolling coverage throughout the day.

5.30pm – Fuel crisis ‘stabilising’, says transport secretary 

The transport secretary has said there is “very tentative signs of stabilisation” at petrol forecourts in the country.

Mr Shapps has also said that “normal service” will resume as people begin to revert back to old buying habits.

Meanwhile, the Petrol Retailers’ Association has reported a number of its members are now “reporting taking further deliveries of fuel”.

Is the situation getting better in the Harrogate district? Let us know at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

3.15pm Yorkshire Ambulance Service has “sufficient fuel”

Trust bosses at Yorkshire Ambulance Service have told the Stray Ferret that their ambulances have enough fuel despite the ongoing problems with supply.

Read more here.

3.05pm – Fuel at Boroughbridge Morrisons

A read has been in touch to report that Boroughbridge Morrisons is out of fuel. If you have any updates from petrol stations across the district, get in touch.

2.30pm – Queues at Ripon Road

Drivers are queueing at The Shell fuel station on Ripon Road this afternoon. An eye witness said seven cars were queuing at the pumps.

The forecourt had a delivery earlier today.

1pm – Tanker delivery at Harrogate fuel station

The Shell fuel station on Ripon Road has reopened after it took in a delivery of both petrol and diesel late this morning.

Since the delivery the petrol station has been busy but it does not seem to be causing queues on the main road.

The fuel station had been closed for the past couple of days after its supply struggled to keep up with a surge in demand.

12.20pm – A picture from across Harrogate fuel stations

Our reporter has been out and about once again to get a view from the fuel stations across the town. There have been deliveries but some places have since run out of fuel.

12pm – Update from Harrogate

Thanks to Stray Ferret reader Martin for this update. We will have a more comprehensive round-up of the situation at pumps in Harrogate shortly.

We continue to urge motorists to buy fuel responsibly and inform us of any updates. Thanks to the key worker who got in touch saying this live blog helped keep him operating yesterday.

https://twitter.com/FIRSTmarty/status/1442801585449574402

11.30 – Morrisons in Starbeck 

A reader has contacted us to says Morrisons in Starbeck was out of diesel an hour ago but still has unleaded petrol. Let us know if you have any updates.

10am – Most fuel stations in Harrogate have stock

The majority of fuel stations in Harrogate now have stock of petrol and diesel. However, a couple are still struggling to keep up with demand.

8am – Ripon has petrol but out of diesel

As of 8am today all of the diesel pumps at Ripon’s three principal petrol stations, had run dry.

At Spar on North Street, which is serviced by BP, only super unleaded fuel was available.

A delivery to top up the diesel and ordinary unleaded tanks is anticipated in the next couple of days.

Photo of BP pumps at Spar

Pumps at the BP Spar station.

Across the city at the Morrisons Harrogate Road station, stocks of diesel ran out this morning, but unleaded fuel is still available.

The same applies at the nearby Morrisons’ supermarket station.

Both expect deliveries from Esso later today.

Tim Flanagan

 

Yorkshire Ambulance Service has ‘sufficient fuel’

Yorkshire Ambulance Service has assured patients it has enough fuel for ambulances despite the ongoing supply problems.

Petrol stations across the Harrogate district have seen high demand since the end of last week.

Although some drivers have struggled to get fuel, officials at the ambulance service have assured it has “sufficient stocks” for its vehicles.

John McSorley, strategic commander for Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said:

“Currently we have sufficient fuel stocks for our ambulance vehicles.  We have robust business continuity plans in place to ensure we are able to respond to patients needing our assistance and can invoke additional measures should they be required.

“We know that, like many others, some colleagues have found it difficult to obtain fuel for their own vehicles and we have a staff transport plan that can be activated should the situation escalate further.”

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Ministers have said there is no shortage of fuel across the country and urged motorists not to panic buy.

Army tanker drivers are on standby to be deployed to help with supply if necessary.

Grant Shapps, transport secretary, said in a tweet last night that “if everyone buys fuel as normal petrol stations will revert to normal service”.

To ease fuel flow we’ve:
✅ brought in army to help HGV testing
✅ added HGV drivers to Shortage Occupation
✅ created new apprenticeship scheme
✅ launched Skills Bootcamp
✅ expanded DVSA testing +50%
✅ changed law for faster HGV testing
➕ 12 other measures [1/2]

— Rt Hon Grant Shapps (@grantshapps) September 27, 2021

The Stray Ferret has set up a live blog to keep you up to date with the situation at fuel stations across the district. You can read live coverage here.