A new Facebook page to keep tabs on what petrol stations are charging has been set up by motorists fed-up with the disparity between prices in Albury and Wodonga in the hope the industry will become more transparent.
Border Petrol Bounce-Albury Wodonga came online on January 21, and has already attracted a whopping 750 likes.
Its founder, Mat Winchester, said he wanted to show how uneven fuel prices were when comparing Albury and Wodonga.
“We want to see this page grow, and make retailers take notice that there are cheaper options around town and that people will drive for cheaper prices,” he said.
Mr Winchester said he was planning to approach petrol stations to ask if they could send prices to him every morning and also to log any price changes throughout the day.
He hopes to hold all Albury-Wodonga petrol stations to account and in line with each other through posting photos on the page.
“In the coming weeks I hope to contact all petrol stations and get them on board,” he said.
It comes after The Border Mail revealed Albury motorists were paying up to 27 cents more per litre for petrol than their Wodonga counterparts earlier this month.
Prices soared to as much as $1.45 per litre in some parts of Albury and Lavington, compared to just $1.18 south of the Border.
Mr Winchester said little had changed in recent weeks.
“Wodonga is still by far the cheapest,” he said.
“APCO in Wodonga is selling 91 unleaded for $127.5 a litre, whereas most petrol stations in Albury are around the $144.9 mark, that’s a 17c difference.
“Wodonga’s Woolworths Caltex on High Street is 128.8 per litre but if you go three kilometres down the road into Albury, it’s a staggering $144.9 for the same petrol.”
The National Roads and Motorists’ Association had attributed the price hike to a slump in global oil production.
But RACV fuel spokesman Michael Case said the price difference between Albury and Wodonga was significant, and urged motorists to vote with their feet.
“It’s clearly well worth the trip across the Border to fill up,” he said.
