MOTORISTS in Suffolk will be able to get the cheapest petrol in the country today as a garage slashes prices by 5p a litre in protest to increases in fuel duty.

Russell Claydon

MOTORISTS in Suffolk will be able to get the cheapest petrol in the country today as a garage slashes prices by 5p a litre in protest to increases in fuel duty.

Customers will be able to fill up their vehicles for 5p less a litre than the normal pump prices for the next three days at the Jet owned garage at Darsham, on the A12.

The slashed prices, which is going to cost the service station approximately �2,000 in lost revenue, is a protest against a 2p increase in fuel duty due to come into affect on April 1.

It will effectively wipe off the 5% increase in fuel duty put on by the Government over the last six months.

Chris Woodruff, the managing director at Darsham Service Station, said he was taking a stand for the second time due to the raw deal motorists continue to receive, with no sign of it abating. He first cut VAT off his pump prices in December last year.

He said: “People have got to understand that in Suffolk we need to have our transport and the Government is putting 5% on road transport costs in six months and it has to stop.

“It costs me about another �800 every time a delivery lorry turns into the forecourt.

“It is going to be crazy. We must have the highest tax on fuel in Europe at 71% (71p on every �1 on fuel).

“If we can help by reducing fuel duty we will. Someone needs to stand up.”

Pump prices will be dropped to 84.9p a litre for unleaded petrol and 94.9p a litre for diesel until Thursday morning.

Extra deliveries have already been lined up in anticipation of the long queues and vouchers will be given out over the coming days at the filling station for customers to redeem from April 2 for 2p a litre off - wiping off the new duty rise.

Mr Woodruff said: “We need to look after our customers and that is why I am doing it.”

The reduced prices come into effect from 7am this morning.