Sky-high fuel prices see commuter costs skyrocket
Sky-high petrol prices are fuelling frustration among Perth drivers after the cost of the average commute jumped by more than a third in the past year.
For 57-year-old midwife Carolyn Wilson, driving a nine-kilometre round trip from Port Kennedy to Rockingham Hospital is a daily necessity.
“Leaving early or coming home late, I don’t really want to catch public transport and it’s not really very available right here,” Wilson told 9News.
Wilson said she is able to avoid the pain of peak hour, but not the petrol pump.
“When I fill up the car, it used to be under 50 bucks, now it’s at least 70,” she said.
“So when the pump’s going over I’m like ‘oh no’.”
Based on an average SUV, $50 at the bowser will get you 118 fewer kilometres than it did a year ago, when unleaded fuel was 50 cents cheaper per litre.
On Perth’s most popular commute, Wanneroo to Joondalup, that’s seven fewer return trips to work.
If you live in the south-west suburb of Stirling and travel to the city for work, $50 will cover 14 daily commutes, which is five fewer than last July.
The same goes for south-eastern parts of Perth near Gosnells and out to Canning.
Further south in Rockingham, the commute to Cockburn – a 50-kilometre round trip – can be done six times on a $50 tank.
About 12 months ago, the same tank would get you about eight trips.
While prices have been creeping down from March’s historic highs, Perth’s average unleaded fuel price today is $1.66 a litre.
Ben Dereki from WA Fuel Watch said what’s next is anyone’s guess, as the market continues to fluctuate.
“It’s been really hard for consumers over the last two years because prices have fluctuated so much,” he said.
“So in just over a two-year period, we’ve seen some of the highest and lowest prices that Perth has seen over a 20-year period.”
What’s more certain is the expiration of the fuel excise cut on September 28.
The most expensive and cheapest countries on Earth for petrol
With the federal government refusing to extend it, motorists can expect to pay more tax every time they top up.
“Prices will increase by 22 cents a litre after that point in time,” Dereki said.
