Rough ride on the wallet in prospect at the forecourts

It’s a bizarre tale of union-management conviviality: both sides think a new buyer for the sprawling Coryton refinery will be found.

But – it’s the big but – no crude going into the refinery and no petrol coming out, how is the shortfall managed?

The government says plans are in hand to maintain supplies – but hasn’t exactly said how.

If it is the case that Coryton supplies 20 per cent of London and south east England’s petrol – how can that be done at the same price on the forecourt?

Tankering extra supplies from distant refineries in Hampshire, Lincolnshire and beyond is possible but certainly not as cheap.

PriceWaterhouseCoopers is now coming in to run this profitable and safe plant to find a buyer. But until it does, it could be a rougher ride than ever on the wallet at the garage forecourts across London and south eastern England.