The GMB correspondent made a visit this morning to fill up on fuel
A GMB reporter has triggered a debate about where to fill up your car with fuel after an early morning trip to a petrol station. Nick Dixon, a correspondent for GMB, posted about his experience this morning on X.
In his message, he posted a picture of the prices at the station and said: “219.9p a litre for diesel at M23 services in Sussex this morning. That’s almost £121 to fill a 55-litre tank. A painful start to the day for anyone who depends on their car.”
His comment came as diesel prices on Monday hit an all-time high. According to the RAC, prices were at 199.33p a litre on Monday.
It comes after the Iran war led to a surge in fuel prices. Reaction to the ITV reporter’s comment was quick to land. And many people offered the same comment to Nick, a well-respected journalist who has worked for Daybreak, GMTV and Scotland Today and has thousands of followers on social media.
Mark Aldrich commented with some frank advice. He said: “The fact that you’re using a motorway services to fill in the first place is a schoolboy error! Only the desperate & those with All Star Fuel Cards & fully expensed company cars ever fill up on the motorway!”
An X user with the name Darth Wader said: “Anyone stupid enough to go to a motorway service station to fill up their car deserves to pay £2.20 a litre.” Sir Dave Grey-Fox agreed, saying: “Who fills up at a service station?” as did a commenter with the name of CaravanDog, who said: “Why does anyone buy fuel at a motorway station?”
Milksteak23 offered a similar view, saying: “People who depend on their cars shouldn’t fill up on the motorway.” And the user Harris Tottle said: “Anyone that doesn’t plan to find the nearest supermarket to fill up and avoid motorway services is bonkers.”
Some were even more direct. Jules Dingle said: “Who uses motorway service stations even in normal years? You are either desperate, stupid, or have someone else paying for your fuel.” Meanwhile, Tony McDonnell offered a simple observation. He said: “Motorway services are not an accurate example of price.”
One woman said she was worried about such prices spreading to where she lives. Caroline said: “It just hasn’t reached that price here in N Ireland YET. But I am worried.
“I live 50 miles from a train, we have zero buses that go my work route on time for my work. I rely on my car to go to work! I’ve already noticed the increase from £1.60 to £2. Almost £60 a month extra.”
Andy Burnham and John Healey under pressure on fuel prices
The Iran war has affected production and transportation of fuel from the Middle East. Governments across the world have been put under pressure to respond as domestic fuel prices have risen due to lower fuel supply.
In the US, Donald Trump is facing calls from his own party to ban exports of diesel in a bid to lower domestic prices – although his own energy secretary Chris Wright said recently it could have the opposite effect. In Germany and Spain, the governments have cut fuel taxes.
Now Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor John Healey are facing pressure to do something to ease cost pressures for UK drivers. On Monday, RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “The UK might have limited leverage when it comes to ending the US/Iran war and ultimately bringing oil prices down, but the Government could take steps to ease the burden on drivers by lowering fuel duty further or reducing VAT. As things stand, another 5p a litre will be loaded onto pump prices by the Spring if the current fuel duty cut is fully reversed as planned. VAT receipts from fuel are also extremely high, so drivers will be watching this coming week’s Labour party conference, and October’s Budget, very carefully indeed.”
Mr Healey said on Monday that the time to deal with such issues was at the Budget on October 28. He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I’m acutely concerned and conscious about how hard it is for families. I see that at the pumps myself.
“We can’t remove the cost of living pressures, we can’t remove the prices that people are having to pay, but where we can we will act and we will give people just a bit of breathing space, and the same goes for the cost to business.”
You can follow Nick Dixon at @NickDixonITV
