Harlow’s MP, Robert Halfon, is continuing his crusade to ensure Harlow motorists pay fair prices at the pumps. For many years Mr Halfon campaigned to freeze fuel duty, which he has successfully persuaded the Government to do for the last eleven years and the freeze will continue for the year ahead.
The fuel duty freeze saves the average motorist £15 every time they fill up, but Mr Halfon is now calling for “Pumpwatch” which would ensure falling wholesale oil prices are passed on to motorists at the pumps.
According to the AA, motorists are paying on average £16 more to fill up their cars than they did this time last year which Mr Halfon says is “totally unacceptable”. This is in face of wholesale oil prices falling, meaning oil companies are making even more profit from motorists.
Commenting on his campaign for a “Pumpwatch”, Mr Halfon said: “I have worked hard to cut the cost of living and have successfully campaigned to freeze fuel duty for 12 years, saving the average motorist £15 every time they fill up.
“However, despite fuel duty being frozen and despite the wholesale price of oil falling, motorists are seeing the price of fuel continue to rise. That’s why, alongside the successful campaign group FairFuelUK, I am calling for Pumpwatch - to ensure that when oil prices fall it is reflected at the pumps.
“Currently, when oil prices rise, companies are quick to pass that increase on to motorists, but when they fall, the saving is not passed on. This is absolutely unacceptable and I want to see a Pumpwatch body to ensure that can no longer happen.
“Families across Harlow are facing extreme worries about the cost of living. I will continue to do all I can to cut the cost of living and will be raising this in Parliament and writing to every petrol station company and supermarket, pressing them to pass on the savings immediately.”
