Majority of Queensland motorists battling rising fuel costs

WHILE Warwick steals the stage for having the cheapest fuel in the state, our dear brother Toowoomba is winning at the other end of the scale.

Warwick was listed among the top five regions for cheapest diesel across the state in 2012. . Picture: Trevor Veale

WHILE Warwick steals the stage for having the cheapest fuel in the state, our dear brother Toowoomba is winning at the other end of the scale.

Toowoomba motorists paid 10c/L more for unleaded petrol in 2012 than the previous year, according to RACQ.

Releasing the club's 2012 Annual Fuel Price Report, RACQ executive general manager advocacy Paul Turner said despite that, the Garden City's fuel prices were still below the state average.

"Motorists throughout Queensland were hit with higher ULP prices, with the average state-wide price up 5.2cpl on 2011, at 150.1cpl," Mr Turner said.

"While ULP prices jumped by a significant 10c/L in Toowoomba to reach an average of 146.3cpl, they were still below the state-wide average. But the days of cheap fuel in the Garden City appear to have gone."

Diesel prices were also up across the state in 2012, with an average of 153.2c/L making it 3.5c/L higher than the 2011 figure.

Toowoomba motorists paid an average of 150.3c/L for diesel last year, 2.9c/L higher than the state-wide average.

Warwick was listed among the top five regions for cheapest diesel across the state last year, with an average of 148.1c/L.

"It's now more important than ever that motorists interested in purchasing a diesel-powered vehicle do their maths to ensure they will actually be able to save on their fuel costs in the long run," Mr Turner said.

"At the moment there is no immediate threat of higher oil prices, so the retail price of fuel is expected to soften," he said.

The full report is available at racq.com/fuel.