FUEL WATCH: Tamworth handyman and www.mylocalfuel.com web designer Paul Birch is hoping his website will help locals find the cheapest fuel. Photo: Robert Chappel 240712RCC03
A TAMWORTH handyman and former web designer has turned his knowledge into power for others, in an attempt to conquer the region’s struggle with rising fuel prices.
Paul Birch has developed the Tamworth region’s own fuel-watch website and is in the process of developing an app for smartphone users.
The site, www.mylocalfuel.com, is still in its infancy, after going live yesterday, but provides the most up-to-date prices of several service stations in the Tamworth area.
Mr Birch said the idea for the site developed after he heard a number of people recording and comparing local fuel prices.
“I wanted to do something that stopped people from driving around wasting fuel while they were looking for the cheapest place to get it,” he said.
To get the data, Mr Birch drove around to the service stations. He will continue to do so each day, to ensure the prices are updated regularly.
He hopes in time locals will jump on and help him update the prices.
“It’s very early days, but the hope is that people will embrace the site, visit the page and help update the costs at different locations,” he said.
The site features six local service stations’ prices. Users can navigate the page by clicking a tab across the top with the type of fuel they use.
The prices then appear down the right-hand side of the page.
With the introduction of the app, users will be able to update the fuel prices as they go past the petrol station.
Mr Birch said he hoped the site would help inspire people.
“I think, to really be able to force down fuel prices, we need to launch a community campaign. Hopefully, by developing the fuel-watch site and encouraging people to use it regularly, we can encourage service stations ... to be more competitive in their pricing,” he said.