Have petrol prices gone too far?

Petrol prices have broken through the £1 a litre barrier in the Western Isles.

One station in Benbecula is now selling unleaded petrol for 102.8p per litre and diesel for 103.8p per litre.

Islanders feel they are being penalised for living in such a remote community, but does this mean the prices will be coming to the mainland next?

What do you think about the prospect of paying more than £1 for your fuel and should anything be done about it? Do you think it is fair that islanders are charged so much for their fuel? How much are you paying for petrol and diesel?

The Have Your Say is now closed. The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we received.

---

It's all very well for D Johnston criticising those who have to travel to get to work - some people have no option as it may well be the house prices where they are currently living are affordable compared to those prices in the towns where they might work. So get down off your high horse!
E Stoddart, Stirling

We are preparing for our holidays and will spend them in Scotland. We are, however, reconsidering staying in remote rural areas with the fuel prices being this high. I believe that any government should take action, to prevent this from happening. In our country we do not have a huge price difference in built-up areas. But if it will affect the economy, in the long-run it will cost more to restore the economy than to prevent it deteriorating. Be wise, choose well.
Sybren M. Vis, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

I have family down in the central belt and for years the price of fuel down there has been at minimum 15p a litre cheaper, and at one point was 20p cheaper. There should be a blanket price for the whole of the UK so that the far north and the islands are not penalised for merely being remote. We need our cars precisely because of our remoteness, whereas the central commuter belt has good transport links to the towns from the outlying villages and people have that option.
Anna Campbell, Wick Caithness

The petrol/oil companies are taking the mickey by charging the islanders that sort of price for fuel. Let's be honest, it's not as if there is much public transport in the islands for these people, therefore they have to use cars. Shame on the greedy oil companies!!!!!!!!!!
Bryan Preston, Ulverston, England

Perhaps Ian Chard from Oxford needs to get out more, the people who live in the Western Isles, like many parts of rural Scotland have no choice but to use their car. It's all very well Mr Chard sitting in Oxford with its train and bus links harping on about public transport, but he is not living in the real world!
Andrew Douglas, Selkirk, Selkirkshire

I personally believe petrol should continue to rise in cost as it will hopefully encourage the take-up of alternative fuels. I pay 33p a litre for LPG. The cost of this fuel has stayed stable and cheap for years, the solution of high petrol prices is quite clear in my opinion...stop using it!
John Spafford, Liverpool

It's about time that rural communities were given tax breaks on essential services, it costs more to get it there so it has to be sold at a higher price, thus the amount paid in tax is higher as well. Cut the tax for petrol stations in the islands and remote areas where public transport is virtually non existent.
Niall, Dundee

World oil production has, or is about to, peak (North Sea production has been declining since 1999/2000). We currently use a billion barrels every 12 days and demand is increasing. We need to wake up and realise that oil is a finite, once it's gone it's gone. As oil goes up to $80 a barrel towards the end of the year, expect much higher prices at the pump.
Aaron, Nottingham

How are people in remote areas to compete, when not only is petrol/diesel more expensive, but also the general cost of living, as many supermarkets place a 'remote delivery charge' on their goods? It's about time the Scottish Executive put remote communities on a level playing field!
Gordon Scott, Dunoon

Having worked in the oil industry, both in the UK and overseas, for the past 20 years, I find it repugnant that consumers in the UK are forced to pay such high prices for fuel at the filling stations, especially when compared to what other oil producing countries pay. Although the duty charged on fuel is a major factor in the pricing at the pumps, it isn't the ONLY reason. There has been a freeze on fuel duty so far since this year's budget so this particular increase is a result of greed by the major oil companies. I have seen my salary cut several times when there is a slump in the oil market but it is never raised when the price of oil jumps up, as it is at the moment. The major oil companies AND the UK Treasury should be ashamed of themselves for inflicting these prices on us!!!
Angus, Atyrau, Kazakhstan

This is totally unfair to islanders who should have a special tax exemption for home use. I've given up using the car for work and now hop on the bus. If it wasn't for the required uses of the car (not many) I'd give it up. The £1 litre is a price we all have to pay for the USA/China and others' greed.
R Petrie, Dundee, Scotland

I remember the fuel protests and that were over 80p+ on petrol. It seems to me the reason it has not happened again is due to the war in the Middle East affecting the price of crude. Though that will not stop people from blockading Grangemouth again when petrol hits £1 a litre.
Stuart, Stirling

Absolute disgrace. We live in a rural part of the country which depends on cars due to a lack of descent public transport infrastructure. We are being penalised yet again as London's greed takes more tax from us in the form of fuel tax. Scottish rural communities are being hit hardest again by this tax on a Scottish natural resource.
Chris, Western Isles

If it is any consolation, petrol prices have just passed the C$1.00 mark (about 47p) here in Canada. People are equally outraged and are carrying on as if they are the victims of some great government fraud.
Ian Nisbet, Montreal, Canada

People continually harp on about the "environmental effects". However, recent studies (conducted by Greenpeace no less) show that per capita, per mile, a journey by car is less damaging to the environment than by train. Petrol prices have gone too far, but the problem lies within the fact that taxes are still far too high!
Andrew Davidson, Aberdeen, Scotland

Bet your sweet life there would be an almighty row and huge media coverage if it was £1 a litre in Milton Keynes or the like! It is so unfair that those in rural areas are hit again and again, but those living in cities continue driving their 4x4s on the school run instead of making the kids use public transport and perish the thought, use public transport.
Ranald Dods, Innerleithen

I have to laugh at the people who "have" to drive miles to their work. These people have made a lifestyle choice - let them pay for it and the damage they are doing to communities, health and the environment they drive through.
D Johnston, Aberdeen, UK

To respond to Steve's comments that you can travel to work in London for £26 per week, not sure what 'Tardis' was involved, but travel from North London on a travel card before 9.30am and it costs £10 a day, a simple return for just the train costs £8, so you are not doing bad at all?
Damian Cox, North London

It's all too easy to blame the government, and yes, its tax levy on fuel is a disgrace, but when you have petrol stations like BP who have three different prices within a five mile radius of my home, with a 4p/ltr difference it causes you to wonder who exactly is the greediest of them all? If we all stopped buying petrol for one day across the country from ANY petrol outlet, it would make a loud and definite statement. We've had enough!
Val Malcolm, Galston, East Ayrshire, Scotland

The excuse that it is based on them being in such a remote area is clearly a falsehood. If that were true, petrol prices near the Grangemouth refinery would be less than the rest of the UK, which most definitely isn't the case.
Fraser Smith, Falkirk, UK

Having put up with the dearest petrol in the UK in Caithness for a number of years it is interesting that other areas are experiencing the same problem now. The OFT and Competition Commission could find no cartel operating in the north even though all the garages charged the same price which was 12p per litre above Inverness prices. Petrol and diesel should be the same across the country similar to postage - this should apply to all foods etc as well. It is about time the government faced up to its responsibility to fully support the rural areas - petrol tax could be used to implement a road equivalent tariff or better still ensure haulage charges are the same across the country.
Sandy Clark, Thurso

This would be a fairly easy pill to swallow if the actual cost of fuel was nearer £1 per litre. The only reason it has exceeded the £1 benchmark is due to the ridiculous government taxation. How interesting it would be to calculate the percentage of an average family's income goes to the taxman, 22% income tax, 17.5% VAT on good bought, does anyone really know??
Steven, Glasgow

Petrol prices already cripple me. Living up here in such a remote area, I have to make a 40 mile drive to get to work in Inverness. If the price goes up anymore I am royally screwed. I wouldn't mind if the public transport was any good but I may or may not get a bus on the hour. Public transport up her is so inflated. I can get a train from my local station (10 miles away) to Inverness for £8 return, or £38 for a week. For £26 a week In London you can have unlimited travel between several zones, bus, train or tube. You do the math, something just isn't right.
Steve, Roseisle, Scotland

The day teenagers can't afford to spend Saturday afternoon driving round the local town centre is the day petrol is the right price.
David, Halkirk, Scotland

It's always been one of the great ironies of this debate that petrol is cheapest in cities where people don't really need cars, but is dearest in the most remote rural areas where a car is virtually an essential.
Ian, Scottish Borders

The government tax oil when it comes out of the ground in the form of petroleum revenue tax, then tax it again at the pumps. In UK 70% of the cost of petrol at the pump is tax. So really the government is earning $75.00 per barrel just in tax. We produce a vast amount of oil yet have the highest prices in Europe - crazy situation. Our MP's should be ashamed of their tactics to extract two taxes from one product.
John, Aberdeen

The UK has higher petrol prices than any other EU country, or the USA, where they are currently up in arms at the recent cost of a gallon of petrol, which in Florida is on average $2.15. This apparently is up approx. 19 cents from the previous year and the government are looking at ways of capping the rises. Hello and welcome to rip off Britain, where the government can't balance their books and therefore use stealth taxes rather than face up to the tough decisions. No wonder Britain needs asylum seekers to back fill the employment gaps, as most nationals, if they could, would leave for not only more sunnier climes but a fairer tax and benefit system. And don't mention OAP's and pensions. Mr Brown has a cheek to call himself Scottish.
Rob, Glasgow

Hopefully, it will soon double in price and stop the world's selfish and greedy humanity destroying the planet with the guzzling of fossil fuel and the globe warming effects it has on us all.
Brian Innes, Edinburgh

No doubt we will be told "the price paid at the pumps reflects the costs of getting it to such remote parts of the UK?' However, this still seems unfair when you consider that you would expect to pay the same price for other goods regardless of shipping costs wherever you are in the UK (the price of chocolate isn't inflated due to shipping costs etc.) I assume that it is presumed that Islanders' travel less so this will offset the price difference. Also it doesn't take account of essential users, such as the elderly and disabled, who may depend on cars (especially when public transport is either inaccessible or unavailable).
Mark, Edinburgh

Co-operate - join with others to find a solution. Challenge universities to conduct research, design and development to find a solution as a way of returning something to the community for the huge sums they absorb from the public purse. Motor vehicles may be powered by a variety of fuels derived from organic matter, including household and factory waste, oil, seeds, straw, sea-weed, crops etc. Wind-generated electrical power should help with the processing of such biomass into fuel, bio-diesel, ethyl and methyl alcohol to power engines. Ideally, research should come up with community scale process plants for supplying community needs creating local jobs.
Harold Wicks, Hemel Hempstead, UK

The price of Brent crude went from $25 to $50 between 1997 and 2005 (a change of 100%). It is only the high excise duty (which is per litre rather than a %) that cushions the effect of crude oil prices. In the US where there is no excise duty doubling of the crude price means doubling of the pump price - just think of that.
Roger Jackson, Stockport, England

The only way to curb these increases is by direct action. I don't think that the people in this country were strong enough the last time round and the only way to stop the rising prices is to hit the suppliers where it hurts, or alternatively start using public transport more often.
Iain Mitchell, Shotts, Scotland

Considering the bulk of the price is tax, it's time for Labour to reign in their greed. On this island, the roads are in a shocking state, so where's the money going?
Tom, Isle of Skye, Scotland

The price of oil has risen hugely over the last couple of years, whereas the fuel escalator has stalled, so the balance is shifting. Not that I think it necessarily should - I'd rather money spent on fuel went to fund public services than into the already bulging pockets of the fuel companies. However, maybe there should be a tax relief scheme for really remote communities where cars are a necessity and where the costs of getting it there in the first place are so high.
Amy Rodger, Glasgow

In order to pre-empt any criticism of the likes of Shell and BP, I'd just like to point out that 75p of that £1 will go straight into Mr Brown's pocket. In addition, the high price prevailing oil price has resulted in a £10bn bonus to the oil revenue tax from the North Sea.
Chris, Aberdeen, Scotland

Why only now are people sitting up and paying attention? I'm still on the mainland and am paying 96.9p for unleaded and 99.9p for diesel. Why can't there be one price for the whole of the UK? Where everyone from Lands End to John O'Groats (including the islands) pay the same price for fuel? If this carries on much longer I think I might invest in a pony and cart - it'll be cheaper to run.
Meghann, Thurso, Caithness, Scotland

With prices already reaching 89.9p for unleaded 92.9p in Dunblane for diesel, it's almost a certainty that the mainland will have these £1 prices too. I do think that islanders are unfairly charged, but greater access to cheaper LPG and biofuels (and grants to help the engine changeover) would make a real difference.
Frank, Dunblane, Scotland

The difference that customers pay in different parts of the country is not fair. The actual cost is still far too cheap. Only £1 per litre - similar to a litre of bottled water. How can that be right? The UK along with the rest of the world is on the slippery slope to peak oil. What preparations are being made? Are we heavily investing in renewable energy? No. We are insisting the oil producing countries give us more oil, which is only exacerbating the problem. How foolish we are, to deplete a resource which took millions & millions of years to create in a matter of decades. Our children will look back and think us fools.
Jamie Neller, Greenock, Scotland

I believe that the government should step in and stop this price gouging. The prices fluctuate too much and since Britain is pumping oil from the North Sea, then the public should get a little slack.
Brian Coyne, Toronto ,Canada

The government do nothing but tax us for this that and the next thing. Plus it has all its stealth taxes. If the government can waste 100's of millions of pounds on whimsical building projects, such as the Millennium Dome and the Scottish Parliament building, then they can surely give us tax relief on fuel prices. Fair fuel for folk's sake.
Dave, Aberdeen

I think these prices are inevitable. The funny thing is that the government are under the impression that we're stupid. First it was diesel (34p per litre when I first started driving and now it's more than petrol!). Now they tell us that they want to tax the distance we drive rather than the fuel - good idea since our dependence on petrol is shifting with emerging fuel cell technology. They know this and want to take the tax any way. Make no doubt, this government knows how to dip your pockets without asking and you don't even get a kiss for your troubles. Can't wait to move.
Marty, Inverclyde

Obviously the petrol has to be transported there - and that adds to the cost. With 90p per litre in Edinburgh, I find it surprising that islanders are paying so little. The oil companies are simply lining their pockets with these prices, but we have no real choice but to pay them. I'd be less resentful of the government's cut if I saw some evidence of its use in the public transport system.
GT, Edinburgh, Scotland

Living in a rural area I am appalled at the price tag (currently 91.9p / ltr) locally. The government already takes a high percentage in fuel duty, the increased profits from oil companies will generate more corporate taxation, Mr Brown should be looking at ways to reduce our taxation burden bearing in mind he has just received a huge windfall in company taxation perhaps he should return some of the money to the public by reducing the fuel duty to compensate for the world oil price hike and additional prices at the pumps. Rural areas tend to be on lower wages and this will hurt many who need to use private transport due to the lack of public modes of movement. This will harm our economy further, we need to be kept mobile and at a lower cost.
Raymond, Galashiels, Scottish Borders

It's not the price of the raw product, oil, but it's the very taxes that all these governments include into the end product, it all boils down to greed..
Patrice Johnson, London

I think the price of petrol in this country is disgraceful. When the Labour government came to power in 1997 petrol in London was priced at 53.9p per litre. The average price for a litre of petrol is now 92.9p per litre a rise of 39% on the price of a litre. Crude oil has not gone up 39% in the last 8 years, so where is the extra money going?
Jason Palmer, Llanelli, UK

Lower the petrol tax for motorist and start charging fuel that is free of tax for airlines. It is a scandal. How much airplanes pollute compare with cars and they pollute the same regardless of the number of passengers. There is no need for cheap flights when it is the motorists helping airlines to make huge profits.
Riccardo, London

The petrol companies are the new highway robbers, followed on the heels of the current government. They are using high demand and the crisis in the Middle East to bleed this nation dry. The quicker another fuel source is found the better. I hope some small company with no ties to the larger fuel company's come up with something and when this happens we will see who is laughing all the way to the bank. Am sick for being taken for a ride by this government and fuel dictators who are greedy and cause more problems in this world than they solve.
Douglas Rae, Glasgow

When I visited Ardnamurchan a few years ago, then the price was over 90p/litre. All local residents now run diesel cars and fill up 50 miles away in Fort William to avoid the prices. Soon there will be no local filling stations, and combined with the axing of non-profitable bus routes, travel will prove impossible. Rural areas have enough hardship without being penalised further with high prices. The government should provide some means of uniform pricing across the country.
Fiona, Edinburgh, Scotland

This was always on the cards from a 'post election' Labour Government. Therefore, those who voted Labour have no cause for complaint. Fuel costs must surely now be recognised by the electorate for what it is - as a method of direct revenue raising through stealth taxation. We just have no alternative but to swallow it and wait for the next opportunity to protest at the ballot box - as that is all that Mr Blair seems to respond to.
Alan Matthew, Dundee, Scotland

£1 per litre comes closer to representing the true cost of petrol in terms of environmental damage. Perhaps this will finally make both car manufacturers and the general public face up to the fact that our dependence on fossil fuels is disastrous and must stop now.
Ian Chard, Oxford, UK