BUSINESSES across North Wiltshire are feeling the strain after fuel prices hit an all time high.

Although the supply of fuel to the region was not affected by the recent 48-hour strike in Scotland the cost at the pump has visibly risen.

At its most expensive the Esso garage in Swindon Road, Wootton Bassett, is selling petrol at £1.20 per litre.

Diesel at the station is also the highest in the area at £1.22 per litre.

Following this the BP garage in Malmesbury is selling diesel at £1.21.9 and the Calne BP in The Pippin is at £1.21.

Petrol is averaging at around £1.10 per litre at the pump in the district and Sainsbury's in Chippenham has one of the lowest diesel prices at £1.17 per litre and petrol is £1.08.

Morrisons in Cepen Park North is selling diesel at £1.18.9 and petrol at £1.08.9 Mike Simpkins, who owns 24/7 Taxis in Corsham said: "Diesel is going up faster than petrol because more people want it.

"We have noticed the effect but mostly on competition.

"People call up and want to haggle down prices for long journeys but we just can't do it.

"Taxi fares were put up by the district council last month to cover running costs but fuel's gone up much more since then."

Carpenters Haulage in Crudwell has been affected by the rise in costs so much that co-owner Michael Carpenter joined a protest in London today.

Anthony Edwards, a self employed mechanic who services and repairs the Carpenters fleet of lorries, said: "It's definitely having an effect because the trouble is we can't pass the cost on to our customers.

"Companies like Tescos can put up their prices on other products. We can't pass it on to our customers like that.

"We were only talking about the garage in Wootton Bassett this morning saying we couldn't believe it was at £1.22. That's ridiculous."

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