Survey reveals cheapest petrol as Bay of Plenty motorists slam 'ridiculous' fuel tax increase

Errol Thompson is upset at this week's petrol price increase. Photo / Caroline Fleming

A survey of Tauranga fuel outlets amidst a "ridiculous" tax increase has revealed which stations have hiked their prices as much as 4 cents a litre, which have risen by just 1c and which haven't increased their prices at all, for now. In May, the Government passed under urgency a law implementing the second of three annual increases in fuel tax - adding another 3.5 cents per litre to the cost, not including GST - which came into force yesterday. Road-user charges also increased yesterday.

In Tauranga, the price hike appeared to have been implemented at most fuel stations, increasing by between 1c to 4c compared to 10 days earlier.

Gull stations in Hewletts Rd and Parton Rd were the only outlets out of 10 visited in a Bay of Plenty Times survey which had not yet introduced the price rise.

Ōtumoetai Caltex's Sammy Masaun is bracing for feedback from customers after a fuel tax increase came into effect. Photo / Caroline Fleming

Tauranga motorist Errol Thompson said he was angry about the petrol prices taking a hike and that it was just "ridiculous".

Thompson said the Government was working hard to help low-income families, but the increase would take more money away from them.

"This affects people in all walks of life and it will make everything more expensive."

Motorist Allan Hopson said it was something that could not be avoided and "it is what it is".

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A Pāpāmoa motorist, who would not be named, said it was annoying and she was sick of the price of fuel going up and down all the time.

The woman regularly "shops around" and used discount vouchers when she could.

At Caltex in Ōtumoetai, worker Sammy Masaun said she had not heard any comments on the price increase yet. However, there were usually people who noticed the hike so she was expecting the odd one in the next few days.

Gull pricing analyst Crystal Feist said the fuel company aimed to hold prices until Wednesday to "offer motorists a chance to catch their breath".

A spokesman for BP said the company understood the cost of fuel could be
a reasonable proportion of household expenditure and it reviewed its sites daily to ensure pricing was competitive.

A Z Energy spokeswoman said in a statement: "We do our best to make fuel prices as competitive as possible".

No one from Mobil could be reached before deadline.

See Transport Minister Phil Twyford's response here.