Dear BP, Texaco, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Co-op,

I am writing to you in respect of petrol and diesel prices in Basingstoke, Hampshire.

Of course, it does go without saying that various factors have meant prices have increased in most areas of daily life, with fuel being one of the first costs to increase.

However as time has passed, it is absolutely noticeable that the cost of petrol and diesel has come down and continues to decrease, albeit not to previous levels yet. However for some reason, our Basingstoke garages seem to either be blissfully unaware of the reduced rates or are choosing to ignore it, I do hope it is not the latter.

In places I visit for work and leisure, such as Reading, Andover, Staines, Aldershot, Camberley etc, the price is significantly less than Basingstoke, in most cases 9p+ a litre (petrol).

There appears to be no reason, nor rationale, why Basingstoke prices remain so high, is it apathy, profiteering or some other reason I ask myself.

I am nonplussed that the prices in other areas, whereby the product is sold by the same brand, franchise or organisation, can be less than in our area.

It also seems strange to me why not one garage has had the thought that if they reduce their prices, they would gain the market share of Basingstoke drivers, or am I being too simplistic?

What I am aware is that the drivers of Basingstoke are, and will continue to fill up at other garages outside of our area, and your businesses will continue to lose customers unless things change.

So, in the spirit of transparency and positive communication with the community, I await your informative response and hope for a tangible positive outcome of fuel prices being reduced.

I would like to think that Maria Miller and the Basingstoke Gazette would have an interest also to your response, as to why Basingstoke drivers are being proverbially ‘shafted at the pump’ so to speak.

Sabeel Ali

Basingstoke