Motorists have been hit with yet another painful fuel price rise, as the cost of petrol and diesel reaches a six-month high.
New figures from RAC Fuel Watch reveal that petrol prices have now risen for five consecutive months, pushing average pump costs to their highest levels since last September.
The price of unleaded rose by 0.65p in February to hit 139.65p per litre, while diesel jumped by 0.73p to 146.48p – levels last seen in August 2024.
For drivers, this means filling up a typical petrol car now costs £76.81, nearly £3 more than in October. Diesel drivers have been hit even harder, with a full tank now setting them back £80.56 – an increase of over £4 in just five months.
The rise in prices has been driven by a spike in global oil costs, which reached $82 a barrel in mid-January. The increase was caused by higher demand during winter and concerns over potential supply disruptions linked to the U.S. presidency changeover.
RAC fuel spokesperson Simon Williams described the latest price rises as “disappointing” and urged retailers to pass on savings to drivers as wholesale costs start to fall.
“It’s disappointing to see pump prices up yet again in February, with drivers now facing some of the highest costs since last summer,” Williams said.
“Motorists were the unfortunate casualties of rising wholesale prices in January, not helped by oil hitting the $82-a-barrel mark. But we hope better times are on the horizon. With wholesale fuel costs falling throughout February, there’s a good prospect petrol and diesel prices will come down this month as retailers buy fresh stock at lower prices.”
Despite the national rise, some stations are offering significantly cheaper fuel. Supermarkets continue to undercut the national average, with prices 2.3p per litre lower for petrol and 2.6p per litre lower for diesel.
Some of the cheapest petrol in the country has been spotted at supermarkets in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, selling unleaded for just 127.7p per litre.
Meanwhile, an independent forecourt in Shropshire is charging just 126.9p per litre for petrol and 135.9p per litre for diesel, saving drivers £7 per full tank compared to the national average.
Williams advised drivers to shop around and use price comparison tools to avoid being overcharged.
“It really does pay to shop around because pump prices at supermarket sites vary by as much as 13p a litre.”
Motorists in Northern Ireland continue to enjoy the lowest fuel prices in the UK, with unleaded averaging 132.9p per litre – nearly 7p cheaper than the rest of the UK. Diesel is also more than 6p cheaper per litre, averaging 138.9p.
With wholesale prices falling for several weeks, experts believe pump prices should follow. However, the speed at which retailers cut prices remains a concern.
For drivers hoping to save on fuel, the RAC’s free fuel finder tool – available via the myRAC app – allows users to compare prices within a 2, 5, or 10-mile radius to find the best local deals.
With prices at some stations dramatically lower than others, drivers who shop smart could save over £7 per fill-up – a crucial saving as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite.
