All articles by Hugo Griffiths – Page 16
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NewsCompetition and Markets Authority says fuel margins remain high despite lower prices
The government may recently have conceded that grade availability will not initially form part of the forthcoming Fuel Finder scheme, but the Competition and Markets Authority’s scrutiny of the forecourt sector continues, with the organisation finding that fuel margins remain “high”.
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NewsPlans for new A303 services met with local opposition
Proposals by Welcome Break to construct a new services on the A303 to the north-west of Yeovil are facing complaints that the development would negatively impact a nearby independent picnic area and café.
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Focus On FeatureFOCUS ON FORECOURT SECURITY: An end to drive-offs? How technology is tackling fuel theft
With police lacking the resources to reliably investigate drive-offs, and no means of payment costing operators tens of millions a year, several firms offer security services for petrol stations looking to stem their losses. But what do these different companies offer, and which is right for your forecourt?
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OtherCOMMENT: Reports of the death of the petrol station are greatly exaggerated
When rumours began circulating that he had passed away, Mark Twain politely dismissed such talk as being “greatly exaggerated”. Over 100 years later, the same comment could be made about an EV chargepoint firm’s recent pronouncement on the petrol station.
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NewsEXCLUSIVE: The five London petrol stations where almost a fifth of the capital’s drive-offs occured
Just five petrol stations played host to 17.91% of all drive-offs reported to police in the capital in 2023. With 523 filling stations in London, on average five forecourts should be responsible for reporting just 1% of fuel thefts.
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NewsIN PICTURES: Decaying Welsh petrol station could return to life
Survey photographs and historic satellite imagery have revealed the stages of dereliction suffered by a former filling station in the Welsh countryside, yet plans to reinstate the forecourt could breathe new life into the site.
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NewsHand car wash planned for Leeds pub car park
Proposals to use the car park of a defunct pub have been submitted to Leeds City Council.
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NewsNew-to-industry Lake District forecourt gets go-ahead despite objections
A small village in the Lake District is soon to feature a petrol station after planners gave the go-ahead, despite a number of objections from residents.
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NewsDriver with fake number plates steals fuel as police appeal for information
A drive-off at a South Oxfordshire forecourt was facilitated by fake number plates, police have said.
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NewsDigital access to DVLA records granted to forecourt operators and security firms
The cumbersome paper and postal process required for forecourt operators to obtain vehicle-keeper details from the DVLA has come to an end thanks to a new scheme that grants firms digital access to drivers’ records.
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NewsSafety concerns see West Midlands hand car wash close
A hand car wash that was operating without planning consent has been forced to close after the local authority refused a retrospective application for the business to operate.
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NewsUK biofuel sector in jeopardy following US trade deal
The trade deal struck with US may be good news for the UK automotive and aerospace sectors, but domestic biofuel production could end as a result of the agreement, after 19% import tariffs on US ethanol imports were scrapped.
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NewsFormer petrol station becomes an EV charging hub
Turning old petrol stations over to EV chargepoints is something of a dream for environmentalists, but that dream became reality once more this week with the opening of a new charging hub called the Manchester Charging Oasis.
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NewsDurham forecourt bans off-road bikes from refuelling
Off-road bikes that are not allowed to be ridden on the road have been banned from being filled up with petrol by a forecourt in Hartlepool, Durham.
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NewsNew ‘plug-and-play’ hydrogen refilling station debuts
An “easy to replicate” hydrogen refuelling station has been installed at a West Sussex farm, with the station being used to regularly refuel a hydrogen fuel-cell car.
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NewsCouncil raises concerns new M4 services would increase car use
Proposals to construct a new motorway services area (MSA) on the M4 by J37 have prompted the local council to warn that the plans would increase car use, and so be in contravention of the authority’s Local Development Plan.
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NewsCutting VAT on public charging would boost EV uptake, survey suggests
New research suggests that cutting the rate of VAT on public charging from 20%, to the 5% applied to home electricity would make 49% of drivers switch to electric cars sooner.
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NewsStrict conditions imposed for Cotswold village forecourt alcohol licence
A filling station in a Gloucestershire village has been granted an alcohol licence with strict conditions attached following a ruling by the local authority’s licensing committee.
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NewsTebay Services plans 2,300kWh battery storage facility for EV charging
A planning application to install a 2.3 megaWatt hour battery storage facility on Tebay Services southbound has been made to local authorities.