Northern Ireland petrol retailers warned yesterday that plans by the British Chancellor of the Exchequer to increase the price of petrol by three pence in the next budget would be the death knell for the North's Border garages.
Mr Thomas Palmer, chairman of the Northern Ireland Petrol Retailers' Association, issued the warning to the British government's Consumer Affairs and Competitions Minister, Dr Kim Howells.
Mr Howells was visiting filling stations near Derry yesterday where business has plummeted in recent years because of fuel tax differences between North and South and because of the strength of sterling against the pound
When Dr Howells was told that many government-funded local authorities in the North, including councils and health and education boards, bought their petrol and diesel supplies in the Republic, he said he was deeply concerned by that.