Rising fuel prices have been described as “pump fiction” as they fail to reflect falling wholesale prices.
AA president Edmund King borrowed the phrase from director Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 iconic dark crime-comedy film Pulp Fiction to highlight the grim reality of sky high petrol.
With a star-studded cast including John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson Tim Roth and Uma Thurman, the award winning, gory gangster movie is far more graphic than the financial battering motorists are getting on the petrol forecourt.
But in a nod to the cult film’s title, Mr King said: “Pump prices are now more like ‘pump fiction’ as they don’t reflect the general downward trends we have been seeing in wholesale prices.”
He called on the Government to take action now as drivers face an “urgent situation” after unleaded hit a new high of 191.1p a litre while diesel remained just shy of the £2 a litre mark at 198.96p.
Mr King said: “The Prime Minister has hinted at action but we need more than hints. Pressure to force price transparency and a cut in duty would be a step in the right direction.”
Premier Boris Johnson signalled there may be more support on the way for drivers struggling to pay record breaking petrol prices to keep their cars on the road.
Speaking at the G7 summit in Bavaria, he said cash strapped Brits were thinking “this Government could do more to help with the cost of fuel”.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak ’s 5p a litre cut in fuel duty in March has failed to bring any relief at the pumps.
Today campaign group FairFuelUK demanded a 20p per litre cut in fuel duty in line with other G7 countries such as Germany and Italy which have slashed it by 25p and Spain which has cut it by 17p.
Howard Cox FairFuelUK founder said: “Even France has reduced the heinous regressive levy by a double digit 13p. But all the UK has done is a paltry 5p, which didn’t even touch the sides.”
RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams added: “We strongly hope pump prices have peaked for the time being and will now start to decrease in line with wholesale prices which reduced last week.
“That, however, is the hands of retailers.”
