DRIVERS in Dewsbury and Batley are getting a better deal on fuel than their counterparts in Huddersfield.

Research by the Examiner shows supermarkets are charging more for fuel in south Kirklees than in the north of the district.

The news comes as the civil war in oil-rich Libya pushes petrol prices above the £6 a gallon barrier.

Shoppers at Tesco on Viaduct Street in Huddersfield town centre are paying 129.9p per litre of unleaded and 134.9p for diesel. The supermarket is charging exactly the same rate at its store in Brighouse.

But in Batley, Tesco is selling unleaded for 2p less and diesel 3p cheaper.

A company spokesman said: “Like all other petrol retailers in the country we operate a local pricing policy and aim to be competitive on the price of fuel in the local catchment area for each store.”

Sainsbury’s is also charging less in north Kirklees than in the south.

The company’s store at Southgate in Huddersfield is selling unleaded for 126.9p per litre and diesel for 130.9p.

But Sainsbury’s in Dewsbury is offering both types of fuel for 1p less.

A company spokesman said: “Our petrol prices are among the lowest in the country and our customers know that whenever they fill up with us, they enjoy the best possible value.

“We constantly review our pricing versus the local competitors to ensure our customers get a competitive price for their petrol.”

Morrisons is also offering different prices at its two Huddersfield stores.

At Waterloo a litre of unleaded costs 127.9p while diesel is 132.9p. Both fuels sell for 1p more at Morrisons in Meltham.

A company spokesman said: “Our pricing is based on responses to local market conditions and guarantees that we will always be competitive in the local market.”

The news comes as a Government minister warned motorists to prepare for £2 a litre if the situation in oil-producing areas of the Middle East remains unstable.

On Saturday Overseas Development minister Alan Duncan predicted oil would go up to $250 a barrel if tankers and reserves in the Gulf are bombed during the current unrest in the region.

Mr Duncan, who used to work as an oil trader, warned this would lead to British drivers paying £2.03 per litre.