Petrol and diesel drivers ripped off as motorists should 'see cheaper fuel prices in days'

Felix Reeves
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:00:35 +0000

Drivers up and down the country continue to be ripped off at the pumps as new data suggests prices are not falling as quickly as wholesale costs.

Fresh data from RAC Fuel Watch shows that motorists are paying an average of 157.22p per litre for petrol and 189.59p for diesel.

Prices have fallen slightly over the last week since they peaked on April 15, with costs falling by 1.09p for petrol and almost two pence per litre of diesel.

On average, unleaded is getting 0.08p cheaper every day, while drivers are seeing a penny shaved off the price every five days.

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Since the outbreak of war in Iran on February 28, a litre of petrol has soared by 18.4 per cent, adding an extra 24.4p.

Diesel car owners have been hit far harder, with prices jumping by a third, requiring drivers to pay an average of 47.2p more per litre.

Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, said: "Pump prices aren't falling at the rate that our analysis of wholesale data indicates they should, with petrol only having dropped a penny a litre since April 15 and diesel by 2p.

"The fact the price of oil went back above $100 (£74) on Wednesday, having been below that mark for 10 days, is no doubt cause for concern for retailers.

"Despite this, the cost of both fuels on the wholesale market is still lower than it has been, particularly so for diesel - so drivers really ought to see some cheaper prices at the forecourts in the coming days."

The RAC data identified that prices in Northern Ireland have fallen more quickly, with unleaded falling by 2p and diesel by more than 4p over the last week.

Motorists in Northern Ireland have historically benefitted from cheaper fuel costs than England, Scotland and Wales thanks to the Consumer Council's Fuel Price Checker.

The service has been around for a longer period of time than the Government's Fuel Finder tool, which was officially launched in February this year.

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Consumer Council's Fuel Price Checker shows the average, cheapest and most expensive petrol and diesel costs across the country, with comparisons available week-on-week.

Drivers in Northern Ireland are paying an average of 152.1p for petrol and 183.8p for diesel, helping them save more than the rest of the UK.

The latest analysis shows that filling stations in Coleraine have the cheapest petrol in the country at just 149.5p on average.

Newcastle, Ballycastle, Omagh, and Larne all have the cheapest diesel on average at 179.9p, while Londonderry and Dungannon are charging more than 187p a litre.

Most expensive petrol prices

Texaco Service Station Barking, Barking, London (IG11 0TT) - 189.9p

BP Wilsons, Dunoon, Argyll And Bute (PA23 8AL) - 188.9p

Main Road Garage, Boston, Lincolnshire (PE20 3SW) - 188.9p

Asda Cherwell Valley Express Petrol, Bicester, Oxfordshire (OX27 7RD) - 185.9p

EG Rivington North and South PFS, Bolton, Greater Manchester (BL6 5UZ) - 185.9p

Most expensive diesel prices

Lancaster North and South Service Area, Lancaster, Lancashire (LA2 9DU) - 203.9p

Craignure Stores, Isle of Mull, Inner Hebrides (PA65 6AY) - 202.9p

A&C Cameron T A Blackwaterfoot Garage, Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire (KA27 8ES) - 202.1p

Asda Oakhurst Express Petrol, Cockermouth, Cumbria (CA13 0QT) - 201.9p

Asda Hamilton Express Petrol, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire (ML3 6JW) - 199.9p