THE COST of petrol has risen for the ninth month in a row, but the rate of increase is slowing, according to the latest AA fuel price survey. A litre of petrol now costs an average of 133.5 cent, up by 3 cent since June. Diesel rose by 0.9 cent to 143.8 cent per litre.
“It’s too early to say that the fuel crisis of 2008 is past, but at least the increases are more moderate this month, especially for diesel,” commented AA Ireland public affairs manager Conor Faughnan. Oil prices remained extremely high on world markets and there was no prospect of a significant fall in prices soon, he said. Since October, petrol has gone up by 16 per cent and diesel by 30 per cent.
The AA has calculated that for an ordinary car doing ordinary mileage, the monthly bill has risen from €144 to €167 per month (up €23) for petrol users and diesel €138 per month to €180 (up €42).