Friday 18 October 2013

The cost of petrol.

I have just been listening to the news at 6pm and found that our local area was featured when they used Hawes, a little town in the middle of Wensleydale, to demonstrate how crippling high petrol prices were to the economy of The Dales.

I know that as a nation we have got used to complaining about prices - Gas, Electricity, Petrol, Banking spring to mind immediately.   (These flames are fanned by the very high salaries of the top jobs in these industries too.)   But if you look at Hawes - it is a small town with only a limited amount of industry.   I would guess that the main employer is probably the Wensleydale Creamery, which makes cheese and sells it worldwide.   There are also some service industries catering for the needs of the local population, but I suspect many of the inhabitants have a long way to go for work.

There is a petrol station in Hawes, but the petrol and diesel is expensive - a lot more expensive than it is at the Tesco supermarket on Catterick Garrison.   But in order to take advantage of that cheaper price drivers would have a round trip of thirty five miles.  Even if they did their shopping there too, it would still hardly be cost-effective (and it would deprive the local shops of the custom they desperately need to keep going.

I am sure this same thing happens in many rural areas.   Now the Government are apparently going to consider knocking 5p a litre off the price in these rural places - next year. Does it really take that long to consider it?   What about next week?

15 comments:

angryparsnip said...

Yes, does it really take that long to consider it ? What are they waiting for ?
Please let them decide quickly like yesterday.

cheers, parsnip

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Similar things are happening in the US as to the bigger stations selling for less. When we traveled back to Northern Wisconsin last summer for Don's 50th high school reunion we found big gas companies had built a gas station with a fast food restaurant attached - just outside the small towns. As people approach the small town they automatically will stop for cheaper gas and a fast food meal (maybe to keep the kids quiet and not have a longer wait at a local restaurant, or maybe to save time on the trip)and all the local gas stations are now gone from about 8 small towns in that area - there are only two cafes open, and for breakfast and lunch only and mostly the locals visit those. We ate at both places when we were there and the food was homemade and fresh and didn't have all additives that fast food does - but there are many people who don't consider that. It saddened us both to see this area being ruined by businesses that are not even based in the state, let alone the small town. Sad indeed.

Cloudia said...

I wish our so called leaders were as wise as yourself. As an American I'm Deeply disappointed and angered by our own current crop.

Corporations have become a real monster in our lives.

Aloha

Anonymous said...

Our rural communities in Australia are up against this also - people have to travel such enormous distances - I remember one year, to find a commercial Xmas tree! Should have decorated a gum tree set-up but not the same really.
Husband's sporting commitments chewed up the fuel also with country living.
Now in the city we try to avoid fuel problems - we have a small fuel-efficient car and husband rides his bike to work.
Hope some decisions are made quickly for you, to ease the situation.

Bovey Belle said...

How I agree with you Pat. I am absolutely fed up with being ripped off left, right and centre. The rural motorist finds that every journey has to be evaluated - do we REALLY need to go there, and we always combine several things together if we can. One of our biggest outlays is diesel - we are still running our son to and from work (he is ALWAYS on an early or late shift, when no buses are running) and although he pays his way.

When we move, we plan to be a bit nearer civilization!

Gwil W said...

Petrol costs 10 cents per liter, or 4p a pint, more than milk where I am. Italian petrol is the dearest I've ever come across in Europe. It's generally about 40 cents a liter (35p) more than Austria. I think cheap petrol encourages big petrol guzzling cars. Dearer petrol makes people think twice about what kind of vehicle they are running about in and whether they really need to make that journey.

Heather said...

It is the same down here in Gloucestershire and we find that the small independent filling stations can't compete with the prices of the large supermarket ones. It seems that no-one in Westminster understands or cares what is happening to our rural areas. If action isn't taken to improve things soon we will lose even more schools, village shops, farms and much more.

Elizabeth said...

Gas prices are horribly high all over.
Probably twice as high in Europe as in the US.
Our solution: live in the city without a car at all.
Except sometimes we miss the convenience of our own car.

Em Parkinson said...

It certainly does here and in fact our local garage is stopping the fuel thing and just doing servicing and mechanical work. It's six miles to the nearest other one and it's just as expensive being on the A30 tourist trail!

My email is emparko@gmail.com if you can bear the cards with only two sheep ones! x

Terra said...

Yes I agree, the high price of petrol/gas is daunting, and I do cherish local and small cafes, gas stations, etc.

Terry and Linda said...

Gas prices are horribly high here and projected to get even higher by the holidays. $4 a gallon for diesel at the time of this writing. $3.89 for gas.



Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

MorningAJ said...

It's political. You'll only get your reduction if you vote this lot back in. And they'll only cut gas and electricity costs if you vote them back in. But I bet you anything you like that if they do get in, they'll find a reason not to keep their promises.

Cro Magnon said...

I live about 7 kms from the nearest shop etc, so petrol is essential. We've considered a horse, we've also thought about a moped, but we're stuck with a bloody car. I half-filled up last Friday and it cost €40, which might last me a week, even though I hardly ever go anywhere.

Dominic Rivron said...

One approach to bringing down the cost of fuel is -if people want to- to get an "eco" car when trading in. Ours is very economical - as a rough guide to fuel cost, it's like driving a car 10 years ago. And no road tax to pay.

The Weaver of Grass said...

It seems that this is a problem which affects us all and being in a small business (farming) ourselves, we do feel for other small businesses which are suffering. Yet part of me feels that you can't blame folk for going to the cheapest place for their petrol. We do try to support all our local businesses when we can but it is a problem.
Thanks for joining in the debate.