The UK’s fuel crisis continues with petrol and diesel costs rising in a serious blow to motorists.
Petrol and diesel fuel costs continue to rise (Image: Getty)
Petrol and diesel drivers have been hit with another serious blow, with costs continuing to rise as the fuel crisis continues to worsen. According to the latest data from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), unleaded petrol costs now stand at 144.16p per litre, with diesel priced at 166.88p per litre.
According to RAC Fuel Watch, unleaded petrol stood at 132.05p at the end of February, with diesel at 141.60p per litre. It means that road users are now paying 12p more to fill up their tanks with petrol and a whopping 25p more to top-up with diesel. Petrol is also up 4p on last week and 8p on the week before. Yesterday, the RAC claimed that diesel prices were now at their highest price for more than three years.
Panic buying has become an issue as prices rise (Image: Reach)
It comes just a day after RAC head of road policy Simon Williams predicted that petrol and diesel fuel costs could be set for further increases.
Simon said: “As a barrel of oil has been trading well over $100 for the last three days and looks set to remain at that level, drivers are in for a rough ride at the pumps in the run-up to the Easter break with no end to price increases in sight.
“With the price of petrol likely to go above 150p a litre in the next week and diesel heading to 180p, it’s looking like it will be the most expensive Easter on the roads since the early days of the war in Ukraine in 2022.”
Petrol and diesel costs have soared in recent weeks (Image: DESNZ)
Officials claim that petrol stations in the UK are well-stocked (Image: Getty)
Yesterday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer chaired a Government COBRA meeting over how the Iran War could impact the cost of living in the UK. Discussions were expected to focus on the potential economic impact and how to prevent shortages, including for fuel.
However, the DESNZ has tried to calm down fears that the amount of fuel could run out, stressing that petrol stations in the UK are well-stocked. Instead, a lack of fuel at certain petrol stations is believed to be down to motorists panic buying stocks.
They explained that fuel production and imports are continuing across the UK as usual, with no issues reported at this stage.
They argued that the UK benefits from strong and diverse security of energy supplies, with around 1% of imported crude coming in from the Middle East.