It seems there won’t be any marginal relief this December with fuel priceslikely to increase in the coming days according to the Automobile Association (AA).
This comes after a five-month trend of petrol decreases which ended in October.
Early data from the Central Energy Fund for December suggests a decrease of approximately 7 cents per litre for ULP93 and a slight increase of 3 cents per litre for ULP95. However, adjustments to industry margins may lead to price increases for both fuels in the coming days.
AA said on Monday that while these price changes may dampen motorists’ plans, they are unlikely to cause significant alterations to holiday travel plans for those embarking on long journeys.
Mixed bag for fuel prices this December
“It’s probable that the annual margin adjustments could also have a negative impact on the expected increase of around 48c/l to diesel, also pushing this fuel price higher. The expected increase of around 43c/l for illuminating paraffin will also not come as good news for users of this fuel in December,” says the AA.
“We urge consumers to monitor their fuel usage closely and to budget according to the new fuel prices, which will take effect at midnight Tuesday 3 December. Ensuring vehicles are well-maintained, carefully planning routes, and avoiding heavy traffic whenever possible are some strategies that motorists can use to improve fuel consumption,” the association added.
The Automobile Association urged motorists to ensure they have the right mindset before going on holidays. The fuel prices for December will be announced by the energy department in the coming days.
“A well-maintained vehicle is critical but so is a good attitude when driving. Understand that you will be sharing the road with many thousands of other travellers, and that your and other road users’ safety is your shared responsibility. Obey the rules of the road, be courteous to other drivers, and rest every 200km or every two hours to ensure you are alert,” the AA concludes.
How will the potential petrol price hike impact you this holidays?
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