UK:OIL GIANT'S SCAM EXPOSED

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TUESDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER, 2000 OIL GIANT'S SCAM EXPOSED

Paying the cost ... independent Maxine Byrne's price has risen 4p a litre

EXCLUSIVE

By PAUL CROSBIE Consumer Correspondent

A SCAM by oil giant Texaco to rake in even more money has been exposed by a small family-run garage.

Owner Maxine Byrne pays 4p more a litre for her supplies than one of the company's own forecourts 400 yards down the road.

The price hike since last week's fuel protest means her customers fork out 84.9p a litre for unleaded - while her Texaco rival stays at 79.9p.

Maxine, 42, said: "It looks like we are ripping off motorists but oil firms are forcing us to pay more while pretending prices haven't risen."

The sting came as the petrol crisis eased last night. Around three-quarters of filling stations are now open and the NHS declared it was no longer on "red alert".

But the dwindling number of independent garages - down from 25,000 in 1975 to just 6,800 - are facing the wrath of drivers for Texaco's price increase.

After credit card fees are deducted, many sell fuel at a loss - and 1,000 go to the wall every year.

Maxine, of West Wellow, Hants, said: "I can't continue to operate in this way. I don't mind competition, but it should be a level playing field. The oil companies are being two-faced about this."

No change ... Texaco garage near Maxine still charges 79.9p a litre

Her fury was echoed by small garages nationwide - and their complaints will be taken up by the Office of Fair Trading.

A spokesman said: "Independent operators say they are effectively being prevented from competing over price. We'll be speaking to the oil companies about this."

The AA's Richard Freeman said: "We advise drivers to shop around for the best price but we have some sympathy for garage owners."

Distributor Geoff Hall, who is contracted to supply fuel from Texaco to garage owners like Maxine, said Texaco charged him 4p more.

He said: "We charge the cost price plus our own distribution charge. That hasn't changed, the cost price has."

Texaco said distributors could pay a different price from its own sites. A spokeswoman said: "The price we sell to others is governed by the market price and this can vary. This is not a back door increase. It's not the same as if we owned the site."

Last week the big oil companies tried to increase prices once the fuel protest ended - then made a U-turn after a storm of protest.

And a wave of anger continues to sweep Europe over fuel prices.

In NORWAY and SWEDEN, truckers and farmers blocked ports and oil terminals yesterday.

Fishermen in IRELAND vowed to jam ports for 24 hours from midday today. SPANISH trawlermen sealed off Barcelona's port as truckers besieged oil depots.

A POLICE inspector has been suspended after being accused of siphoning petrol out of a squad car for his own motor. The traffic cop based at Ollerton, Notts, is also said to have used an unmarked vehicle for personal use.

Fuel firms face fines

OIL firms which fail to bust blockades to get fuel to pumps could face huge fines under tough new laws.

The bid to prevent a repeat of last week's crisis was outlined as a new 19-strong government task force met in London yesterday. It is headed by Home Secretary Jack Straw and includes police chiefs and oil bosses.

Laws to make fuel firms maintain deliveries in a crisis will be rushed through parliament before Christmas.

They will then be treated like privatised power firms and obliged to get supplies to essential services. Petrol bosses are being asked to guarantee deliveries BEFORE laws come in.

http://www.the-sun.co.uk/news/13015114

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), September 19, 2000


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