What is Normal?

As the world returns after Christmas to some sort of normalcy (whatever that may be these days and, let's face it, yesterday's bank holiday was somewhat pointless), let us reflect that:

• On New Year's Eve the price of Rhuthun's most expensive litre of diesel (at Bridge Services) was 2p short of the summer 2008 record high;
• One day later, 1st January 2011, at Bridge Services, it the same as the summer 2008 record, an increase over New Year of 9p a gallon; and
• Purchase tax (aka The VAT) increases today, adding to the price of fuel, in theory when the petrol pumps open in less than two hours' time.

The January 2011 diesel high of £1.339 per litre took Derv again to £6.08 per gallon, whereas the day before the highest price was still under £6, at £5.99.

However, fuel prices at Dyffryn Services were lower. The comparable diesel cost per litre was £1.299 (£5.90 per gallon).

Indeed, because unleaded has caught diesel up, the current highest unleaded price of £1.309 per litre is 19p a litre (86p a gallon) higher than the summer 2008 surge. It was in April 2010 that unleaded in Rhuthun overtook the previous high benchmark.

Fuel in Rhuthun per litre	Unleaded	Diesel
31 December 2010 - Dyffryn Services	£1.269	£1.289
31 December 2010 - Bridge Services	£1.289	£1.319
1 January 2011 - Dyffryn Services	£1.269	£1.299
1 January 2011 - Bridge Services	£1.309	£1.339

Fuel in Rhuthun per litre	Unleaded	Diesel
31 July 2008 - cheapest in Rhuthun	£1.119	£1.339