Fuel supplier Waitomo Group has announced plans to open its first fuel stop in central Wellington in early 2019.
City officials are welcoming the news and say it’s a first step towards more competition and cheaper prices at the pump.
Waitomo managing director Jimmy Ormsby says the family-run business has long-wanted to offer Wellingtonians a more competitive fuel price.
“It’s a move we’ve been looking at for a while as we’ve been growing our business, but we needed to find the right site and get the consents in place.
“We’ve kept our Waitomo customers and their businesses moving with competitive fuel prices for over 70 years.
We are now in expansion mode, so the Wellington market was an obvious next step for Waitomo,” Ormsby says.
Resource consent was granted on October 15 for a six-pump site, at 24-26 Hutt Road, Pipitea.
The site will have unleaded 91, premium 95, and diesel.
Building and installation will get under way shortly.
The site will be an unmanned fuel stop, meaning Waitomo will be able to keep prices down, because it doesn’t offer a full-service retail offering.
Wellington mayor Justin Lester is welcoming more competition in the capital.
He is also welcoming new powers granted to the Commerce Commission to investigate fuel prices.
The Commerce Amendment Act passed its third reading last month which means the commission will soon be able to investigate markets.
The Government has indicated the fuel market will be the first to be looked at.
“It’s a double dose of good news for Wellington motorists tired of paying more for their petrol than others in the North Island.
“If the Commission can identify ways to lower fuel prices in the Wellington region then ratepayers will be better off.
“It also helps that Waitomo will be opening a self-service station in Kaiwharawhara early next year and Gull also says it will be opening at least two stations in the greater Wellington area soon.
“A lack of competition has been cited as one of the reasons Wellington fuel prices are higher than in Levin, which is less than 100km up the road,” Lester says.
“Wellingtonians have rightly seen it as an injustice that despite being a major centre, they have been paying a lot more for fuel than people in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Napier.
“We want to make sure those complaints are a thing of the past.
Higher fuel prices disproportionately affect those less well off in our society and I believe next year Wellington will be enjoying lower fuel prices.
”
Councillor Simon Marsh, who holds the economic development portfolios, says the price of fuel affects a huge number of businesses in Wellington.
“The way the price has been rising over the past year it is playing a bigger part in businesses’ decision-making.
“The cost of doing business for the plumber, electrician, manufacturer and public transport are all more expensive in Wellington because of fuel prices being higher in the capital,” Marsh says.
Waitomo Group was established in Te Kuiti more than 70 years ago by Desmond Ormsby.
The family-owned and operated company now has more than 50 fuel stops stretching from Paihia in the north and as far south as Foxton.
Waitomo works closely with its supply and distribution partners, to offer total fuel solutions, including bulk fuel supply, onsite diesel supply and fuel and oil storage solutions.
