EXCLUSIVE: How 75% of petrol stations have closed in 40 years forcing drivers to travel further and pay more to fill up tanks

Three in four petrol stations have closed in the last 40 years, leaving drivers with longer journeys to fill up their tanks. An official report ordered by ministers also warns that less competition is driving up prices as motorists hit with the highest prices at the pumps in history. With prices still soaring as family incomes are squeezed, more and more people are now driving further in search of cheaper fuel. Most people have a petrol station (PFS) within a five minute drive, but in some rural areas the nearest forecourt is 20 or even 30 minutes away Most people have a petrol station (PFS) within a five minute drive, but in some rural areas the nearest forecourt is 20 or even 30 minutes away MPs expressed alarm at the scale of the closures and claimed it added to claims of price-fixing at the pumps. Ministers commissioned a major study into the scale of forecourt closures amid concern about the impact of ‘fuel deserts’ on motorists. More... One in three people cannot cope with unexpected bills amid a surge in those struggling to pay for a car, holiday and heating Cheaper petrol plan for rural drivers: Motorists could receive 5p a litre discount Struggling families braced for quarterly fuel bills of £530 and 5% rise in food prices after wettest year results in crop failures Energy minister John Hayes has now ordered officials to work with the industry and retailers to ‘ensure motorist always have a ready and secure supply of fuel’. In 1970 there were 37,539 petrol stations in the UK but by 2012 the number had fallen dramatically by 75 per cent to 8,677. Ministers demanded the study to uncover the scale of the closures, which saw the number of petrol stations slump from 37,539 in 1970 to 8,677 in 2012 Ministers demanded the study to uncover the scale of the closures, which saw the number of petrol stations slump from 37,539 in 1970 to 8,677 in 2012 In the decade to 2011 alone 29 per cent of forecourts shut. Yorkshire and Humber was hardest hit, losing 33 per cent of stations from 2001-11, followed by London 32 per cent and the South West 31 per cent. The ‘closures had a negative impact on access’ to petrol stations by ‘increasing the minimum driving time required to reach the nearest’ forecourt in some areas, the government report by consultants Deloitte said. ‘These closures also reduced the number of… options available to consumers within a 10 minute driving time in some areas.’ Supermarkets have massively increased their market share, often offering cheaper deals to shoppers but squeezing out independent retailers and limiting choice. Who owns what: The major supermarket brands increasingly dominate the market, although MP still owns 14 per cent of all petrol stations Who owns what: The major supermarket brands increasingly dominate the market, although MP still owns 14 per cent of all petrol stations Supermarkets now own 14 per cent of petrol stations, up from 9 per cent in 2001, but sell 40 per cent of all road fuel, putting pressure on competitors. Oil companies have lost market share, with Tesco recently overtaking BP as the largest retailer in terms of fuel volumes sold. Supermarkets forecourts also tend to have smaller stocks to meet demand, so are less able to cope if supplies are disrupted. 'This may have a detrimental impact on resilience,’ the report warned. ‘Some consumers may be prepared to travel a considerable distance to purchase fuel at a lower price. In 2009 almost 60 per cent of drivers said they filled their car where it was convenient rather than cheap, but three years later that figure has slumped to 40 per cent as hard-pressed drivers hunt for bargains. Tesco now sells more petrol than BP A BP petrol station Supermarket takeover: Tesco now sells more petrol each year than BP Tory MP Robert Halfon, who has campaigned on petrol prices, said: ‘I am alarmed at the decline in petrol stations. ‘Britain is being taken for a very expensive ride by some of these oil companies, who are crushing the independent retailers. ‘I hope that the Government will use this report to add ammunition to the OFT study into allegations of price-fixing at the pumps.’ Tory MP Robert Halfon said he was 'alarmed' at the decline in petrol stations Tory MP Robert Halfon said he was 'alarmed' at the decline in petrol stations The report warned that in the worst affect areas ‘if there are any short-term supply disruptions, consumers may not only face longer driving times to access the nearest [petrol station] but in the event that the nearest has run out of fuel they may have to travel even longer. ‘Besides short-term supply disruptions, there might also be wider competition effects from closures in such areas, potentially resulting in consumers being faced with higher prices due to their reduced ability to substitute between different [petrol stations]. The loss of petrol stations is felt acutely in rural areas, where people already have to travel further to reach vital services. Official figures show someone living in the countryside has to travel for 12 minutes to reach their local hospital compared to just eight minutes in urban areas. Some drivers now have to travel for more than 10 minutes and in some cases more than 20 minutes to reach their nearest petrol station. A combination of the recession and more economical vehicles meant petrol demand in 2011 was just below 1970 levels. Energy minister John Hayes said he wanted to get ‘an accurate picture’ of the scale of the closures to ‘consider any possible implications for our security of supply’. He said the closures had not had ‘an impact on the vast majority of motorists’ but he added: ‘My officials will be working with industry, trade associations and other government departments to ensure motorist always have a ready and secure supply of fuel. ‘This report will help inform our further work here, as will the findings of OFT’s Call for Information into this sector, due in January 2013.’ The government had frozen fuel duty for two and a half years and a review of business rates had been postponed to prevent ‘significant business rate hikes for forecourts’, he added.