FUEL prices may appear to be steadily on the slide but disparity between neighbouring garages still continues.

Tom Potter

FUEL prices may appear to be steadily on the slide but disparity between neighbouring garages still continues.

The Evening Star's weekly fuel check shows that while filling up with unleaded in Felixstowe will cost you as much as 109.9p a tank full of petrol at Tesco Martlesham comes with a 3p reduction.

Despite the inconsistency, customers are starting to benefit from a recent drop in oil prices.

Prices peaked in July when average UK petrol prices were nearly 120p per litre, with diesel at 133p.

But a fall in the value of oil since then, and a 20 percent drop in wholesale prices, has been converted into reduction of nearly 10p at the pumps.

The industry has been keen to point out that it takes four to six weeks for changes in the price of oil to work their way through to the pump.

An AA spokesman said: “It's fair to say the drop in oil prices is now being passed on to customers but there can still be at least a three pence difference between fuel prices in one particular area.

“It's quite a substantial variation and can be the equivalent of a £1.50 difference per tank full.

“The only way to deal with this would be to have a local fuel price regulator in place who can take into account both consumer and commercial interests.”

Meanwhile an AA study found more and more people are running on empty as they overestimate the amount of fuel in their tanks.

Research showed as many as 20pc of drivers fail to realise how little petrol their money is buying.

The price of unleaded petrol is at least 15pc higher than a year ago, meaning motorists are paying around £7 more every time they fill up.

- See The Evening Star's fuel watch every Friday to find the best deal.