Motorists suffer from big hike in fuel prices

Derbyshire and UK motorists are forking out about £10 more to fill up a family car with fuel than they did a year ago.
Fuel prices.Fuel prices.
Fuel prices.

Fuel prices have hit a two year high after the cost of filling up rose a further 2p per litre on average in January.

A litre of petrol is now on average 120.01p while diesel is at 122.30p, up from 111.17p and 111.93p respectively in August last year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Therefore filling up a 55-litre family petrol car is £9.53 more expensive now than a year ago, and diesel vehicles have been hit harder hit with the average family car costing £11.69 more to fill up.

RAC motoring organisation, the RAC, is now calling for fuel price cuts as motorists in the region and nationally are squeezed at the forecourt.

It has stated drivers were being unfairly hit by the recent price rise as retailers were not passing on wholesale savings to motorists.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “In the last two months 5p a litre has been added to the pump price of both petrol and diesel, which means the cost of filling up is really starting to hurt motorists again.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But the January rise is harder to swallow as there is a saving from wholesale prices that retailers should be passing on a little faster than they are.

“As the wholesale price stands currently we would be expecting to see average prices come down by over a penny a litre in the next fortnight.”

Campaign group FairFuelUK is also calling on the Government to set up a fuel price watchdog.

And the AA said the sky high cost of filling up meant millions would be forced to cut back on road trips.

Its research found more than a quarter of drivers spend a set amount on petrol, rising to four in ten for those on low incomes.