KEY POINTS:
Motorists have been given a welcome run-up to Labour Weekend with a 4c price cut at the fuel pumps.
Petrol and diesel are both 16c a litre cheaper than a week ago, after the five oil companies all cut their prices again yesterday.
That has brought 91-octane petrol down to 172.9c a litre and diesel to 131.9c at most main-centre pumps, although industry minnow Gull is following normal practice by undercutting the four majors by 1c for mineral fuel and 3c for biofuel.
Gull was in the unusual position for a time yesterday of being undercut by Shell and then BP after dropping its petrol price but holding back on diesel, as did Caltex and Mobil.
But by the end of the day, they had all buckled to competitive pressures by following Shell and BP's diesel cuts.
Petrol is now at its cheapest since February, and diesel as low as in March.
Automobile Association spokesman Mark Stockdale said the cuts were just what motorists needed as they prepared for a holiday weekend after being buffeted by other cost rises.
Mr Stockdale said it appeared the cuts were a reflection more of a reduction in costs of refined fuel.
The AA is urging all holiday-making motorists to prepare their vehicles and to get a good night's sleep before leaving home this weekend.
* The Transport Agency will close both northbound clip-on lanes of the harbour bridge between 7pm tomorrow and 10am on Monday for its $45 million strengthening project.
* Trains will stop running on Auckland's western rail line and the southern line between Britomart and Otahuhu throughout Labour Weekend, for a big construction push by Ontrack. Buses will replace trains, but extra rail services will run along the eastern line via Glen Innes to Otahuhu and beyond.
