A private hire taxi driver says fuel prices in Northampton are “a rip-off” and is calling for them to be brought in line with nearby towns.

Peter Greaves, who has been in the trade for 32 years and has lived in Northampton for 53 years, has criticised Tesco Mereway for its fuel prices, but says the issue is not limited to just one supermarket.

Speaking to Chronicle & Echo, the Skyline driver said: “I’m one of over a thousand private hire drivers in Northampton, and the fuel prices here are a rip-off. I was in Kettering the other week and fuel there was seven pence a litre cheaper than Northampton. It’s not helping us at all. They’re just ripping us off – there’s no two ways about it.

“You can go to loads of different towns and it’s cheaper than Northampton – Daventry, Kettering, Wellingborough. Why aren’t they all the same all over the country? The fuel delivered to Morrisons in Kettering is cheaper than what we get here – it’s ridiculous.”

Northampton private hire taxi driver Peter Greaves says local fuel prices, including Tesco at Mereway (pictured), are “a rip-off” and is calling for them to be brought in line with nearby towns.

placeholder image — Northampton private hire taxi driver Peter Greaves says local fuel prices, including Tesco at Mereway (pictured), are “a rip-off” and is calling for them to be brought in line with nearby towns.

The prices, he says, are making it tougher and tougher to earn a living. He said: “It affects us day to day. You’ve got disgruntled taxi drivers everywhere. We’re all in business to make a profit, but at the minute I’m not making any money at all. It’s a struggle. It’s not paying dividends like it used to. There have certainly been better years than this.”

The Mercedes driver continued: “I want prices to come down to what they are in Kettering. It’s only 14 miles up the road – why should we be paying more? They’re making a fortune. They don’t tell us what profits they make on fuel, do they? I’m sure they’re obscene.”

He added: “I feel very strongly about it. I’m sure the public feel the same.”

In response, a Tesco spokesman said: “We regularly monitor fuel prices throughout a local area to ensure we’re providing competitive prices for our customers."

Fuel prices across the UK

The RAC’s Fuel Watch shows the following UK average prices:

Unleaded: 134.06p

Diesel: 142.96p

Super unleaded: 149.94p

Premium diesel: 162.60p

Currently, diesel at Tesco Mereway costs 145.9p per litre — higher than nearby towns and comparable supermarkets.

RAC Fuel Watch shows current supermarket diesel prices as:

Asda: 139.7p – 147.9p

Tesco: 140.1p – 145.9p

Morrisons: 140.3p – 145.9p

Sainsbury’s: 140.5p – 148.9p

All brands: 140.1p – 148.9p

The RAC explains the way prices are set. Their website says: “Pump prices change when there are significant and sustained increases or reductions in the wholesale price of petrol or diesel. Retailers can reflect these savings as often or as infrequently as they like.

“In reality though the retail fuel market tends to be led by the supermarkets, as despite only having around 16 percent of UK forecourts they are responsible for some 44 percent of total fuel sales, so we often see widespread cuts being passed on at the pumps at the same time.”