Bay petrol stations hike fuel price by up to 20c

BARGAIN HUNTER: Papamoa woman Julie Klink waits till she comes to Mount Maunganui to fill up at Z Energy.PHOTO/REBECCA SAVORY

Tauranga motorists are forking out about 20 cents more per litre of petrol compared to a month ago, after a six-year low begins to rise.

A survey of 13 petrol stations across the wider Tauranga area yesterday showed the price of petrol could vary by eight cents per litre.

A litre of 91 varied from $1.849 to $1.929 yesterday compared to prices between $1.609 and $1.819 in a similar Bay of Plenty Times survey on January 15.

However, the majority of the 12 prices were under $1.65 per litre in the January survey.

Papamoa woman Julie Klink was filling up with petrol at Z Energy on Hewletts Rd yesterday and said it was her usual petrol station.

Despite living in Papamoa she tried to wait until she was going to her part-time job at the Tauranga Airport to fill up with petrol because she believed it was usually cheaper and she could use her Countdown vouchers and Fly Buys card.

Despite the recent rise since last month, she said prices were still reasonable.

"It was nice when it was down low but it's still reasonable considering what it was in the past and if you get a decent coupon from Countdown, like a 20 cent one, it's pretty good."

At some of their highest, prices had been reported at $2.21 in March, 2013 - which at the time was two cents shy of the $2.23 record - and later reported at $2.269 per litre in July, 2013.

Petrol Price Survey, stations and price of 91

Mobil Chapel St - 1.849
Pak 'n Save Papamoa - 1.849
Pak 'n Save Cameron Rd - 1.859
BP Mt Maunganui - 1.869
BP Waihi Rd - 1.899
Gull Hewletts Rd - 1.899
Z Hewletts Rd - 1.919
BP Gate Pa - 1.929
Caltex Greerton - 1.929
Mobil Cameron Rd - 1.929
Z Cameron Rd/11th Ave - 1.929

* Survey conducted Wednesday, February 25, between 1.40pm and 3.20pm