Hundreds queue for cut-price petrol

Motorists packed a petrol station yesterday to fill their tanks with cut-price fuel.

The Texoil outlet in Ballincollig, Co Cork, which is shutting its forecourt operation on the town’s Link Rd, slashed its fuel prices as a “thank you” to loyal customers.

The average price of a litre of petrol is currently hovering around the €1.57 mark, with diesel selling for around €1.52 per litre.

Texoil was selling its fuel for €1.50 per litre of petrol and €1.45 per litre of diesel — saving motorists an average of up to €7 for a full tank fill-up.

It resulted in hundreds of motorists queuing at the Ballincollig outlet over the last two days, pumping thousands of gallons of the cut-price petrol and diesel into their tanks.

Texoil retail manager Mel Londy said that the company had two choices ahead of the closure of the forecourt — to oversee a costly and complex fuel removal operation from its underground tanks, or do something else.

“So we decided to give a discount to our loyal customers,” he said.

Staff were closely monitoring the fuel tank levels last night, which were being depleted very quickly.

Once the fuel is gone, the forecourt operation will close, he said.

Picture: Des Barry