Fuel prices drop across the board in Northern Ireland: petrol, diesel and home heating oil
The price of petrol and diesel have dropped in Northern Ireland for the first time since the war on Iran began, with home heating oil also falling in price.
The news comes just as the PSNI re-issue a warning that they stand ready to take enforcement action against any fuel protestors who block roads.
There have been rumours since last week that tomorrow will see a series of such protests in locations across Northern Ireland at 4pm.
No-one has claimed responsibility for organising them, and no processions have been lodged with the Parades Commission.
Today’s weekly roundup of fuel prices from the government-funded Consumer Council is showing that diesel stands at 183.8p per litre on average in Northern Ireland, whilst petrol is 152.1ppl.
That means diesel is down by 2.3% on a week earlier, when the average price stood at 188.1ppl, and it means that petrol has dipped by 1.2% on a week earlier, when it stood at an average of 154ppl.
The drop comes after seven straight weeks of sharp rises for both.
However, both fuel types remain vastly more expensive than they were before the war began.
Compared to February 26, diesel is 38.6% higher, and petrol is 21.8% higher.
The average prices above also mask the local extremes; for example, the most expensive diesel the Consumer Council found was at a station in Carrickfergus (189.9ppl) and the most expensive petrol was found at stations in Antrim, Belfast, Magherafelt, Londonderry, and Ballyclare (154.9ppl).
According to the website Boilerjuice.com, red diesel in Northern Ireland today stands at 108.58ppl (excl. VAT), though it has been steadily coming down from a high of 119.97ppl on April 7.
Before the war began it stood at 72.03ppl, meaning it is currently 50.7% higher.
And for the second week in a row, home heating oil is down according to the Consumer Council.
As of today, 300 litres averages at £330.79 (down by 8.1% on a week earlier), 500 litres averages at £531.86 (down 7.5%), while 900 litres averages £936.63 (down 7.9%).
All remain significantly above the level they were at on February 26: it is still 63.6% pricier for 300 litres, 73% higher for 500 litres, and 74.5% higher for 900 litres.
ONLINE PROTEST CALL:
Online chatter about tomorrow’s mooted fuel protests appears to have quietened down in the past several days though some sites, like the Protestant Coalition’s Facebook page, are continuing to promote the day of action.
The list of locations for the 4pm demonstrations is as follows: Tesco distribution centre, Boucher Road, Belfast; Asda distribution centre, Larne; T-junction, Westbank Road, Belfast Port; Lidl distribution centre, Nutts Corner; P&O, Larne Harbour; Seatruck, Warrenpoint; Belfast International Airport; and the oil terminals at Airport Road and Airport Road West, east Belfast.
Translink has said: “‘We continue to work closely with the PSNI and other agencies.
“We advise our passengers to keep up to date using the Translink Journey Planner app and website: www.translink.co.uk.”
Asked about the possible protest, the PSNI restated its position today, saying “we are aware of posters online calling for further protests” and “preparations for a policing response are underway”.
It said: “The right to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are fundamental human rights.
"They are protected in law and allow individuals to engage in peaceful protest.
"However, these rights are limited by the need to uphold the rights of others, protect public health and safety, minimise disruption to normal life and by the need to prevent and detect crime...
"We will continue to police these protests with the ‘Four Es’ approach of engage, explain, encourage and, where we assess in the context of an individual incident that having had regard to all competing rights, enforcement if necessary.”
Several protests which have supposedly been slated to take place in the past fortnight have never materialised: in Larne, Strabane, Belfast’s Westlink, Nutts Corner in Newtownabbey, and Ballymena.