MP in plea for Asda fuel stop

Buy photos » Worcester MP Robin Walker wants ASDA to include a petrol station at their new store in Lowesmoor. Picture by Nick Hands 0212028NHR1

WORCESTER MP Robin Walker has urged ASDA to add a petrol station to their multi-million pound Lowesmoor store which will open in March.

Mr Walker made the plea in a letter to the supermarket giant’s chief executive Andy Clarke in which he also welcomed the imminent arrival of the store.

The MP urged ASDA to capitalise on AA research which showed the supermarket giant has been for some time the cheapest petrol retailer in England.

The apparent need for an ASDA petrol station was also highlighted by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), which acknowledged that Worcester drivers seem to face higher prices at the pump.

However the OFT added they had no hard evidence of price fixing and would need to see some in order to take action.

In his letter to Andy Clarke, Mr Walker said: “My constituents regularly complain that they seem to pay between two pence and four pence more per litre than residents of other cities in the region such as Birmingham or Cheltenham.

“I hope you might consider adding to the competition in Worcester on fuel prices and bringing the benefit of your strong record in this arena to bear on our city alongside your already welcome contribution to the wider retail offering,” he added.

But ASDA spokesman Clair Hufton said there was not enough space to include a petrol station on the Lowesmoor site.

“However, we never say never and it’s something we will look into in the future as we know local people are supportive.

“The AA confirms when there is an ASDA petrol station in town, everybody else lowers their prices.

“That’s because we are the only petrol retailer to have a national price cap guaranteeing a fair fuel price for our customers.”