COUNCIL BACKS MOTION TO TACKLE UNFAIR PETROL PRICES IN BEDFORD BOROUGH

Bedford Borough Council has backed a campaign to reduce the unfairly inflated petrol and diesel prices charged across the borough.

At Wednesday night's Full Council meeting, councillors agreed to back a motion from Mayor Dave Hodgson calling for fuel retailers to lower their prices in the borough and bring them in line with neighbouring counties and boroughs.

The Council's Chief Executive will now write to fuel retailers with sites in the borough requesting an explanation why Bedford Borough residents are paying more for their fuel and for their assistance in bringing prices to a level comparable with nearby towns.

Mayor of Bedford Borough, Dave Hodgson, said: "We currently have an unacceptable situation whereby local residents in and around Bedford are forced to pay typically around 5 pence per litre more for petrol, and around 4 pence more for diesel, than drivers in nearby towns. I hope that the unanimous support for this motion will put further pressure on fuel retailers to address the shocking disparity in prices between Bedford and neighbouring towns.

"Fuel bills make up a large part of many residents' household budgets, while higher prices here are also bad for local businesses. I am therefore pleased that the Full Council backed this motion and we will now be taking this issue up with petrol stations in the borough and calling on them to reduce their prices in line with other areas.

"The fuel retailers should be embarrassed by the raw deal they are givingBedfordresidents and businesses, which is plain for all to see. I am hopeful that the more that the media, the Council and residents stand up and say 'this is not acceptable,' the more likely they are to do the right thing and bring prices down."