In July, I wrote to local petrol providers in Barnsley to ask them to lower their prices in line with neighbouring local areas, such as Wakefield and Kirklees, where petrol prices are regularly 3 pence per litre cheaper than in Barnsley. 

Below is the text of the letter I sent.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Re: Fuel Prices in Barnsley East

I am writing to you today as the local Member of Parliament for Barnsley East.

The Government have been too slow to take action on the high price of fuel across the country.

Though they have finally accepted the Competition and Market Authority’s recommendations to stop prices being inflated unfairly, the public are already feeling the strain of high fuel costs in addition to the rising cost of living in the UK.

In addition to this, I have noticed that fuel prices across Barnsley East have been higher than in surrounding areas for some time now.

After investigation, I can confirm that, as of today, fuel prices at Texaco in Darfield are at 144.9 pence per litre.

Though fuel prices in Barnsley East have fallen by 8 pence per litre since January 2023, fuel in comparable neighbouring areas, such as Wakefield and Kirklees, is still approximately 3 pence per litre lower than in Barnsley East.

I appreciate that you are a small business and that you are more than likely experiencing a rise in the cost of running your establishment too.

However, I would like your help to clarify the following:

• In light of the Government’s acceptance, will you be following the Competition and Market Authority’s recommendations on fuel prices?
• What extra costs are you incurring specifically due to your status as a small business?
• In your experience, are fair fuel prices being passed from multi-national organisations to small businesses such as yours?
• What actions have you put in place to ensure that people in the local community feel the benefit of falling wholesale fuel prices?

Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions on the above. I look forward to hearing from you on this issue.

Yours faithfully,

Stephanie Peacock MP

Member of Parliament for Barnsley East