Critics say more has to be done to keep gas stations from running inaccurate pumps that deliver less gas than advertised on the meter.

And a crackdown on inaccurate pumps promised by the Federal Industry Minister Jim Prentice earlier this year hasn't materialized, said Mel Fruitman of the Consumers Association of Canada.

"We think the government is protecting us in the marketplace, but that is a fallacy," said Fruitman.

Even as gas prices are as high as they've ever been, government inspection records show that about one in ten stations in B.C. failed tests on at least one pump.

And most of those failures were instances where the pumps weren't pumping as much as they said they were -- anywhere from a few dimes on a fill-up to a few dollars.

It may seem like a nuisance to the driver, but in the long run it could turn into a cash cow for an offending gas station.

In May, Prentice ordered increased inspections, and promised to raise fines of failing stations from $1,000 to $10,000 by the fall of 2008.

Since then, there have been about 50 per cent more inspections -- but they didn't catch something found in an investigation by CTV News.

On a pump at a Tempo on Lougheed Highway in Coquitlam, CTV News found one pump that gave out less gas than it advertised on two tests conducted by CTV News. In one of three tests by CTV News, the pump gave more gas than it said on the meter.

The manager admitted that the pump sometimes gave out more or less gas than it said on the meter. He promised to fix the problem.

But that pump bore a sticker that indicated that Measurement Canada testers hadn't visited since 2002.

The country is in the middle of an election, and the promised legislation hasn't materialized.

Prentice defended his efforts to CTV News.

"The regulatory changes that will change the system are things I've spoken about and I'm committed to," he said.

"Those regulations have been drafted, and they require legislative changes. There will be more said about that in the days ahead," he said.

Fruitman said the issue should be on the minds of voters.

"We need to make this an election issue. It's time we made our voice heard to consumers," he said.

Motorist John Smelleck said he's tired of waiting.

"I'd tell him to get your butt off the chair and do something," he said. "Now. Not tomorrow or five weeks from now but today. We want to see it happen again, simple as that!"

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Jon Woodward