FUEL PRICE REPORT – OCTOBER 2005

During the past month, Unleaded fell to 93.7p but started to rise again to the current level of 94.5p (0.3p per litre below the September price). Diesel also fell to 96.5p but increased to the current level of 97.2p (0.2p per litre below the September price). The promise of a 4p per litre reduction, widely reported over the weekend of 16/18 September, failed to materialise. The difference between the all-time high price of Unleaded (96.1p per litre on 14 September) and the lowest recorded price in October was only 2.4p per litre.

Although crude oil prices have come down from their post-Hurricane Katrina high, uncertainty over Hurricane Wilma and reduced refining capacity in the States have left prices averaging around $60 a barrel for October to date.

East Anglia region has the highest average Unleaded prices (2nd highest Diesel prices) with Northern Ireland having the highest Diesel prices (2nd highest Unleaded prices). North and North West regions have the cheapest fuel prices.

Although the Supermarkets led the way in reducing prices, it was not as much as anticipated. Asda was selling Unleaded for 89.9p per litre for 3 weeks, but by the 9 October, the price had risen to 91.3p per litre. Tesco prices have consistently been the highest of the four supermarkets, and their Unleaded price only came down to 92.4p per litre before rising to 93.4p per litre on 9 October. (As at 9 October, Sainsburys Unleaded was 92.8p per litre and Morrisons 93.2p per litre) The Supermarket average prices have risen since the September report (unlike the UK average prices which fell slightly). Unleaded rose by 0.7p per litre (3.2p per gallon), Diesel by 0.6p per litre (2.7p per gallon), and Super Unleaded by 0.5p per litre (2.3p per gallon).

LPG rose by 1.1p per litre, and at Supermarkets by 0.3p per litre.

Overseas prices have also fallen slightly, and the UK again has the 5th highest Unleaded prices in Europe.

Unleaded 95 Octane /
Diesel
/ Super unleaded / LPG
litres / (gallons) / litres / (gallons) / litres / (gallons) / litres
Northern Ireland / 95.1 / (432.3) / 98.2 / (446.4) / 100.3 / (456.0) / 43.5
Scotland / 93.8 / (426.4) / 96.9 / (440.5) / 99.8 / (453.7) / 41.6
Wales / 94.8 / (431.0) / 97.7 / (444.2) / 99.1 / (450.5) / 40.9
North / 94.0 / (427.3) / 97.0 / (441.0) / 99.4 / (451.9) / 41.0
North West / 93.7 / (426.0) / 96.4 / (438.2) / 100.2 / (455.5) / 40.3
Yorkshire & Humberside / 93.8 / (426.4) / 96.7 / (439.6) / 99.6 / (452.8) / 38.6
West Midlands / 94.4 / (429.2) / 97.2 / (441.9) / 100.6 / (457.3) / 43.2
East Midlands / 94.5 / (429.6) / 97.3 / (442.3) / 100.6 / (457.3) / 42.7
East Anglia / 95.4 / (433.7) / 97.9 / (445.1) / 100.7 / (457.8) / 43.2
South East / 95.0 / (431.9) / 97.6 / (443.7) / 100.5 / (456.9) / 43.4
South West / 94.9 / (431.4) / 97.5 / (443.2) / 100.2 / (455.5) / 42.2
London / 94.8 / (431.0) / 97.4 / (442.8) / 100.8 / (458.2) / 42.7
UK AVERAGE / 94.5 / (429.6) / 97.2 / (441.9) / 100.4 / (456.4) / 41.9
Per cent taken as Tax / 64.7 / 63.4 / 64.9
Supermarkets / Unleaded 95 Octane / Diesel / Super unleaded / LPG
litres / (gallons) / litres / (gallons) / litres / (gallons) / litres
SUPERMARKET AVERAGE / 93.1 / (423.2) / 95.9 / (436.0) / 96.4 / (438.2) / 37.6
Per cent taken as Tax / 65.5 / 64.0 / 67.0

* The AA Motoring Trust Fuel Price Report uses data sourced from Catalist Ltd & Arval (www.catalist.com)

They are an average of mid-month prices from the respective regions.

OVERSEAS PRICE COMPARISONS

Using currency exchange rates as at 17 October 2005 quoted in local currency and UK pence equivalent.

Source of overseas price comparisons: European Road Information Centre (Geneva), and based on a twice-monthly sample.

Local Currency per litre / UK pence per litre
Country / Currency /
Unleaded
/
Diesel
/
Unleaded
/
Diesel
Austria / Euro / 1.16 / 1.02 / 81.70 / 72.02
Belgium / Euro / 1.37 / 1.12 / 96.38 / 79.16
Czech Republic / Czech Koruna / 32.90 / 30.50 / 81.13 / 75.22
Denmark / Danish Krone / 9.95 / 9.20 / 93.60 / 86.55
Finland / Euro / 1.36 / 1.05 / 96.31 / 74.42
France / Euro / 1.29 / 1.12 / 90.95 / 79.37
Germany / Euro / 1.35 / 1.12 / 95.33 / 79.08
Greece / Euro / 1.02 / 0.99 / 71.88 / 69.98
Netherlands / Euro / 1.43 / 1.11 / 101.12 / 78.66
Hungary / Forint / 272.70 / 263.60 / 80.81 / 78.11
Ireland / Euro / 1.18 / 1.13 / 83.11 / 79.65
Italy / Euro / 1.33 / 1.21 / 93.77 / 85.58
Luxembourg / Euro / 1.09 / 0.94 / 77.11 / 66.02
Estonia / Kroons / 15.20 / 14.25 / 68.22 / 63.96
Norway / Norwegian Krone / 10.00 / 9.50 / 90.01 / 85.51
Latvia / Lats / 0.72 / 0.64 / 73.35 / 65.20
Lithuania / Litas / 3.35 / 3.15 / 68.49 / 64.40
Poland / Zloty / 4.32 / 3.89 / 83.93 / 75.58
Slovakia / Koroan / 38.20 / 38.30 / 69.58 / 69.76
Slovenia / Tolar / 238.60 / 233.20 / 71.45 / 69.83
Portugal / Euro / 1.30 / 1.04 / 91.72 / 73.37
Spain / Euro / 1.06 / 0.97 / 75.13 / 68.78
Sweden / Swedish Krona / 11.97 / 11.62 / 88.73 / 86.14
Switzerland / Swiss Francs / 1.70 / 1.81 / 76.86 / 81.83
United States of America / US Dollars / 0.73 / 0.84 / 42.26 / 48.63

Note: We receive international prices to 3 decimal places and calculate the UK pence per litre on that price. Therefore, some countries will show the same price in their local currency to 2 decimal places, but the UK pence price could be slightly different

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Much of the work of The AA Motoring Trust is carried out on its behalf by its wholly-owned subsidiary AA Motoring Trust Trading Limited, company number 4616233, whose registered office is also at Fanum House, Basing View, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 4EA.