PETROL prices in Sheffield have reached an all-time high after fuel costs escalated by up to 8p per litre in just eight days - taking some city prices soaring above the national average.
Last night, the top price of unleaded petrol in Sheffield stood at 117.9p per litre - more than 5p per litre above the national average cost.
In the last month alone, unleaded petrol prices in the city have risen by 3.4p per litre and diesel by an astonishing 5.9p per litre, according to fuel comparison website PetrolPrices.com.
Nationally, unleaded fuel has seen a 4.4p rise per litre while diesel fuel has rocketed by 6.8p.
Although the average fuel price in Sheffield remains below the national average, prices are continuing to climb and some business are struggling to cope under the strain.
The average cost of diesel fuel in Sheffield now stands at 122p a litre which, although below the national average of 123.6p, is a 5.9p increase on this time last month.
What do you think? Add your comment below.Unleaded fuel was selling for an average of 107.6p per litre in Sheffield just four weeks ago but now it is likely to cost 111p while the national average price has hit 112.2p.
Petrol station owner Emil Berek, who owns an independent service station in Deepcar, is today preparing to take delivery of his most expensive ever fuel - with prices so high he no longer feels able to pass the costs on to customers.
"In order to make a profit, we usually charge around 4p more per litre than we pay for it," said Emil.
"But delivery prices are so high now that I can't make the mark up because no-one will pay it, they'll go elsewhere."
Emil was yesterday charging 124.9p per litre for derv - or diesel - fuel but today he will pay 127.2p a litre.
Motorists in Rotherham have fared slightly better with fuel prices in the town bucking the national trend and decreasing.
The average price of unleaded petrol has remained at 107p for the past month while diesel prices have fallen slightly from an average of 116.1p to 115.8p.
In Barnsley prices for diesel have soared by an average of 5.7p from 115.1p to 120.8p - the highest average price increase for diesel in the whole of South Yorkshire.
PetrolPrices.com's Top Ten tips for keeping down costs 1. Use PetrolPrices.com. Save up to 17p per litre simply by shopping around for the cheapest fuel. It covers over 9000 stations across the UK, with daily price updates.
2. Don't fill up on a Friday. Petrol stations put their prices up on a Friday because that's the day that most people tend to fill up.
3. Drive economically. Driving too fast and accelerating sharply will increase your fuel consumption, so stick at a constant speed to get up to an extra 30% out of your tank.
4. Check your car is working efficiency. Make sure your tyres are properly inflated to reduce drag, and change your air filter regularly.
5. Get rid of extra weight. Empty your boot and backseat of all the rubbish you collect - prams, golf clubs, spare tools, and if you don't need your roof rack take it off.
6. Turn your air conditioning off. Air conditioning increases your fuel consumption by 10%, so turn it off unless you really need it.
7. Close your window. An open window increases drag and burns more fuel.
8. Fill up before you get to less than a quarter of a tank. If you fill up well before you're nearly empty you're less likely to go to the nearest, and probably more expensive stations. It's also better for your car.
9. Don't do short journeys. When you take short trips your engine doesn't have time to warm up properly, so it will burn more fuel. Try to walk or cycle if you're not going very far.
10. Leave the car at home. Surefire way to save money on fuel - don't drive! Not always an option, but it's worth considering if you can use alternative transport or lift share.
READ MOREMain news indexMore Rotherham newsMore Barnsley newsLatest sport.Check out the very latest on South Yorkshire's roads - including live traffic cameras on Sheffield's commuter routes - with our Traffic sectionThe full article contains 742 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
