For three months, former Trangie resident Anthony Lees has been delivering fuel to town after the small New South Wales community was left without a petrol station.  Key points Trangie’s only petrol station permanently closed its doors in December last year Residents are being forced to travel up to 70km for fuel Businesses say they’ve experienced a decline as people are not stopping in town Residents have been forced to drive a 70-kilometre round trip for petrol or rely on other locals for help. “It pains me to see people in a situation they shouldn’t be in,” Mr Lees said. Trangie is an hour’s drive west of Dubbo in the state’s Central West.  Mr Lees travels to the town for work twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, taking with him several jerry cans of fuel for locals. “I can’t fix the problem, but I can ease the pain,” he said. “I grab a couple of jerry cans, fill them up on the way out here, and put them on Facebook. “It’s not often I take a full jerry can home.” Three months without fuel Residents were told the local service station would be permanently shutting its doors on December 4. Ampol left the town with no explanation, despite last year reporting a record operating profit of $1.3 billion. Despite concerns the town would be without fuel in the lead-up to Christmas and harvest, Inland Petroleum announced it was taking over the site and building a new station. Residents were told they would be without fuel for 10 days while a temporary site was put in place. But, after three months, there has been no progress and no temporary site. The former lessee vacated the site on December 4, permanently shutting the doors to the service station. Western Plains Zaarkacha Marlan The delay has been caused by negotiations between Transport for NSW, their contractor UGL Regional Linx, who own the land, the incoming proprietor, and Narromine Shire Council. In a statement, Transport for NSW said it had worked closely with all parties to be able to grant consent for the construction of the service station that was partly on rail land. Fear the town won’t recover It has been a town known for pulling together to get things done , but Mr Lees began to tear up when describing the frustration behind getting a temporary site for the town. “A lot of people are buying fuel for their neighbours and helping out where they can,” he said. “We’ve got some people in town who only have a local licence and are not able to drive out of town, so we’ve got locals who are putting their hand up to drive them to Narromine to fill their car up. “Some of these people deliver Meals on Wheels and can’t be without a car, and shouldn’t be without a car, and we shouldn’t be without a service station.” Trangie locals must drive a 70km round trip to Narromine and back for a tank of fuel. Western Plains Zaarkacha Marlan It was a situation not just affecting locals. Mr Lees said a Cobar man was left stranded without fuel when he got to Trangie. Mr Lees, who was in Narromine, met him with a jerry can on the highway between the two towns. “I think we’re getting to the point where this has all become a little bit ridiculous,” he said. “The community, as a whole, is losing hope we’ll ever get a fuel stop back.” Local cafe owner Julie Berry says almost every business in town has been affected. Western Plains Zaarkacha Marlan Town’s economy takes a hit Local cafe owner Julie Berry said, since the service station closed, they had lost almost 60 per cent of business in the mornings as trucks were no longer stopping. “It’s terrible, and it’s having a domino effect,” she said. “It just doesn’t affect us, it affects the pub across the road because truckies are not stopping of a night to go over and have counter meals or come here for breakfast.” She says people are now going to Narromine for fuel and for groceries or to visit the pharmacy. Little school, big heart Trangie kids jump rope, raise funds and show a big heart for health research. “The town is really struggling,” Ms Berry said. Ms Berry was worried the town would get a reputation for not having fuel, and people would pass the town by. “Everybody says 10 days, 10 days. We’ve heard this story since December 3. It’s just getting beyond a joke,” Ms Berry said. Narromine Shire Council Mayor Craig Davies said on Thursday that Transport for NSW granted approval for construction of the site to go ahead.  He said a temporary station would be in place within the next month. Local news direct to your inbox Western Plains will deliver a wrap of the week’s news, stories and photos every Friday. Sign up here