Free-petrol stunt costs radio station $12,000

About 200 motorists were successful in getting a free tank of petrol yesterday in a promotion that cost a radio station near to $12,000. Picture / Brett Phibbs

A radio station ratings stunt brought central Auckland traffic to a crawl yesterday morning as hundreds of cars lined up for free petrol.

Just before 8am Classic Hits announced it would give away petrol for an hour at the Shell station on Beach Rd.

Motorists from all over Auckland rushed for their chance, clogging Beach Rd all the way back to Customs St. Eventually 211 motorists were successful in getting a free tank.

The radio station would not divulge exactly how much petrol was given away, although it was about 8000 litres. At yesterday's prices of $1.49 for 91 octane and $1.54 for 96, that would be about $12,000 worth of petrol.

Petrol prices eased 3c a litre yesterday, but diesel remains at a record after a 4c rise this week.

BP claimed to have led the latest petrol cut, soon followed by the other big oil companies, to $1.49 for standard-grade 91-octane at main-centre pumps.

They all cut 96-octane petrol to $1.54 except for Shell, which was selling it last night for $1.53.

But diesel remains at $1.06, its highest price in nominal terms.

BP spokesman Jonathan Hill said this reflected a continuing demand for diesel in the US after Hurricane Katrina.