MANY of us have noticed the price of petrol and diesel has stayed obstinately high at about 127p to 129p per litre for many months now.

However, the trading price of crude oil is about $97 to $99 dollars per barrel, about 10 to 12 per cent less than it was in the spring.

We are being duped by the oil/ petrol companies whose profits are sky-high.

This is deplorable for the public and owners of private and public vehicles paying through the nose for fuel. I’m sure people paying for domestic heating oil are being cheated too.

Why is there no pressure on the oil companies to cut the retail price of petrol?

Malcolm Dunstone, Darlington.