A LEADING Irish motorway service area operator is charging different fuel prices on either side of the M1 near Belfast.
The cost of unleaded petrol and diesel at two adjacent Applegreen stores, close to Lisburn, varies in price with drivers travelling citybound able to avail of the cheaper fuel options.
Both petrol and diesel prices are one penny cheaper at the northbound service station, compared to its southbound store directly across the road.
Applegreen last night defended the move and said that charging different fuel prices on either side of the M1 was a "promotion".
It comes after its new 5.2 acre northbound store, located between Sprucefield and Belfast on the M1, opened for the first time last Thursday.
But eagle-eyed commuters have been left baffled by the difference in prices at the two nearby service stations.
One confused commuter wrote on social media: "Applegreen petrol station M1 Lisburn, how come all fuels penny dearer heading out of Belfast, opposite side road one pence cheaper into Belfast?".
Simon Williams from the RAC last night said people would "find difficulty" in seeing different prices being charged at adjacent service stations operated by the same company.
"I think people would hope to get charged the same prices for stores that have the same branding and same services," he said.
"I am sure they would also find difficulty in seeing different prices being charged, especially when they are across the road from each other.
"But we should also remember that Applegreen are a low priced fuel retailer and the prices they are charging are below the national average."
A spokesman for Applegreen last night defended the price difference and said it was part of a "promotion" to celebrate the opening of the new store, the company's sixth in Northern Ireland.
"We lower the prices for the first week of opening a store," he said.
"It's just a way of enticing customers into the new store by lowering the price of the petrol and diesel.
"It's a first week promotion and then afterwards the stores will operate the same prices."
However, the company makes no mention of its first week "promotion" on its website or social media pages.
The last offer it advertised on its Twitter page was a reduction in the price of fuel at the Applegreen store at Lusk, near Dublin, to celebrate that a winning €88.5 million Lotto ticket had been sold at the service station.
