Petrol prices Manchester: Only 6 garages in city-region are selling fuel for ‘fair price’ according to the RAC

Only six filling stations in Greater Manchester are selling petrol for what the RAC has described as a ‘fair price’.

While wholesale fuel costs have fallen substantially over the last six weeks, the RAC claims that only a small number of retailers have cut their prices to accurately reflect this.

The motoring organisation has urged petrol stations to “do the right thing” and help drivers struggling with the cost of living crisis.

The RAC has estimated a “fair” price for petrol, which is 174p per litre, while diesel should be around 189p per litre. That factors in the wholesale cost to retailers, a 7p per litre margin and VAT.

However, only six garages in Manchester were selling petrol for under 175p a litre at time of writing.

According to petrolprices.com on 1 August, the garages were:

1. Costco Manchester Automat, M41 7ZA: petrol 168.9p, diesel 179.7p.

2. Costco Oldham, OL9 8AU: petrol 168.9p, diesel 179.7p.

3. Asda Eastlands, M11 4BD: petrol 174.7p; diesel 183.7p

4. Asda Harpurhey, M9 4DS: petrol 174.7p; diesel 184.7p

5. Tesco Salford Extra, M6 5JG: petrol 174.9p; diesel 189.9p

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “In this most expensive of summers, drivers need all the help they can get to keep their spending down so we applaud those retailers who are doing the right thing for their customers and charging a fair price for petrol and diesel, more in line with the lower wholesale costs.

“Weekly wholesale petrol prices – that’s the price retailers pay to buy the fuel – have fallen by a massive 17p a litre, from a weekly average of around 152p at the start of June to just 135p. Yet average pump prices have reduced by a paltry 4p. It’s time for every retailer to do the right thing and cut their prices to more reasonable levels.”

Earlier this month, the AA estimated that petrol could fall by as much as 20p per litre if retailers chose to pass the full wholesale price drop on to motorists. Its fuel spokesperson, Luke Bosdet, said that could cut up to £10 off the cost of a tank but warned that “price cuts are quite simply not happening”

Prices are correct at time of publication but may be subject to change.