Last updated 19:50, Thursday, 11 September 2008

WE are being taken for a ride here in West Cumbria when it comes to petrol prices.

Our survey this week shows the discrepancy that exists in forecourt prices even within our own county.

We’ve always known that we’ve had to pay extra through the nozzle when compared to other parts of the country – but how on earth can oil companies explain such ludicrous differences between garages just 30 miles apart along the A66?

It seems that we’re paying up to 7p more a litre for our fuel in West Cumbria than motorists are in the Penrith area.

We know that house prices are based on location, location, location – but it shouldn’t make a jot of difference to our motor fuel. We can only think: rip off, rip off, rip off!

Esso claims it is all down to a competitive “market”; but it doesn’t explain why people in relatively hard-up West Cumbria are in a different “market” to those just a few miles away.

It smacks of being taken advantage of.

It is another burden for our hard pressed businesses to carry, when they are already at a disadvantage because of the miles that they have to travel, as well as being a major pain in the pocket for everyone else.

We support Workington MP Tony Cunningham in highlighting the situation and drawing it to the attention of the regulators.

This scandal should be investigated by the Office of Fair Trading.

Let us put a stop to this blatant fuel discrimination.