Looking for cheap before the petrol tax kicks in tomorrow, drivers wait for petrol at the Gull Petrol Station on Titirangi Road in Titirangi. Credit: Brett Phibbs
Petrol hikes from Auckland's regional fuel levy have not bitten motorists - at least not yet.
Prices remained largely stable across the city this morning as Auckland Council's regional fuel tax took effect for the first time.
Gull Titirangi petrol station continues to offer the best deals in town, holding its prices steady, according to the popular cheap-fuel-finding app Gaspy.
It's selling Regular 91 for $1.99 and diesel for $1.28 - the same as yesterday.
Petrol stations around the city had been expected to quieten down today after customers yesterday rushed into outlets to fill up ahead of a levy of 11.5 cents a litre kicking in from midnight.
Money raised from the levy will go towards funding a range of transport infrastructure in the Auckland region.
The Mobil service station on Sandringham Rd was among those having a quiet morning at the bowsers today after yesterday telling the Herald it had been hit by a rush of queuing customers wanting to fill up.
However, a staff member at the station said it was too early to tell whether or not the levy was having an impact because it was normally quiet on Sundays.
It was a similar story at the BP 2go on Jervois Rd.
In an apparent glitch on the Gaspy app early this morning, the outlet was showing as having the cheapest Regular 91 fuel price in the city of $1.96.
However, a staff member confirmed the price was not accurate, although he couldn't say over the phone what the actual price was.
Despite the Gaspy glitch, the station had not been inundated with customers and was also quiet this morning, he said.
Motorists queued up at the Gull Petrol Station in Titirangi yesterday ahead of the fuel tax kicking in. Photo/Brett Phibbs
"On Sunday we normally do a quiet day, so I don't know if it is a matter of whether the fuel levy is affecting our day, but I think it will," he said.
As at petrol stations across the city, Friday and Saturday had been busier than normal at the Jervois Rd BP 2go, however.
"It was busy yesterday around evening time, with people knowing that fuel prices will hike up," he said.
Ahead of the levy, supermarkets in Auckland had also been offering customers big savings on petrol.
Countdown sent out a promotional email to customers yesterday afternoon offering about a 45c per litre discount on fuel when customers spend $200 at any of its Auckland stores.
The promotion started at 1pm yesterday and runs until midnight tonight. The discount applies to a maximum of 50L of fuel.
Pak'nSave stores in the Auckland area are also offering customers 45 cents off fuel with a $200 spend.
Meanwhile, New World, which is also owned by Pak'nSave owner Foodstuffs, is offering customers a 35 cent per litre discount by spending $150 instore.
The offer is also available instore until midnight today.
Pak'nSave's Albany and Botany stores were the cheapest supermarket-led outlets early this morning, with prices of $2.04 and $2.06 respectively.
Elsewhere, prices at the Pak'nSave on Lincoln Road in Henderson appeared to have jumped from $2.09 yesterday to $2.21 this morning, according to Gaspy.
Around the city, Gull stations appear to have the best prices.
Gull Titirangi in the far west leads the way, followed by Gull Birkenhead in the North Shore with a price of $2.02 and Gull Wiri Self Service offering the best price in the south of $2.03.
Gull East Tamaki and Caltex Somerville with a price of $2.06 are the best in east Auckland.
