LONDON, March 17, 2026, 19:49 GMT
UK petrol prices ticked higher on Tuesday, with almost 49 pence a litre separating the most expensive motorway stop on the M1 from the lowest price posted at a London forecourt. Crude held above $100 a barrel, underpinned by supply worries tied to the conflict. RAC figures put average unleaded at 142.29p per litre, diesel at 162.06p. Spot checks from the Guardian and Secret London found prices ranging from 172.9p on the M1 to as low as 123.9p in Camden.
Right now, the spread is hard to ignore. Motorists are feeling the squeeze from both ends: national average prices keep climbing, and the gap between local stations has gotten wide enough to make picking your route pay. The timing isn’t lost on officials either, with ministers rolling out the Fuel Finder price-reporting system and telling retailers not to use turmoil in the Middle East as an excuse for price hikes. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves, speaking Tuesday, said the Iran conflict could well push UK inflation higher over the coming months.
Brent crude climbed 1.3% to $101.53 a barrel as of 1515 GMT, according to Reuters. Renewed Iranian strikes on the UAE, disruptions at Fujairah loadings, and ongoing issues in the Strait of Hormuz—the crucial chokepoint for roughly a fifth of global oil and LNG flows—pushed prices higher. “The risks remain stark,” said IG analyst Tony Sycamore. Reuters
At the forecourt, drivers are feeling the pinch from rapid price hikes. Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, said petrol is up roughly 10p a litre since the Iran conflict kicked off, while diesel has jumped by almost 20p. He called the spike “really starting to hurt drivers.” That means diesel users are shelling out about £11 more to fill a standard tank than they were at the end of February. RAC Media Centre
It’s a tougher picture on the motorways. At Woodall services off the M1 near Sheffield, petrol was going for 172.9p, diesel for 185.9p during the Guardian’s last spot check — both well over the national averages. According to the operator, those prices track broader motorway trends and increasing fuel costs.
There are still some lower-priced options out there, particularly in London. Petrol Map data shared by Secret London shows Morrisons Camden offering 123.9p per litre, while Asda on Old Kent Road sits at 128.7p. Tesco forecourts in Southwark and Canada Water both come in at 128.9p a litre. South-east London takes the crown for the city’s lowest pump prices, according to the analysis.
That carries extra weight given Fuel Finder’s mandatory reporting only kicked off on Feb. 2. The system requires every public petrol and diesel retailer to register and post price changes within half an hour. The government argues the added transparency could cut annual fuel bills by some £40 per car-owning household. On Sunday, ministers pointed out that with Asda joining, the scheme will cover nearly every pump in the country.
The Competition and Markets Authority has put retailers with thousands of filling stations on notice, demanding detailed revenue, cost, and sales figures. Officials say they’re specifically monitoring for “rocket and feather” pricing—industry code for pump prices that leap overnight on higher wholesale costs, but barely budge when those costs fall. “Increases should reflect genuine cost pressures,” insisted Juliette Enser, who leads markets at the regulator. Gov
Concerns from ministers extend past just the price of the daily commute. On Tuesday, Reeves warned that the conflict could drive inflation up in the near term. The government, reacting to the pressure, rolled out a £53 million relief package on Monday, aiming to ease the burden of surging heating-oil prices for vulnerable households—a clear indication that the energy shock is moving beyond the petrol pumps.
The next step remains uncertain. A handful of tankers are moving through Hormuz once more, and the International Energy Agency is considering tapping reserves again—moves that might pull prices back if supply recovers. Still, Williams said petrol prices are likely to stay under 148p only if crude stays near $100. Diesel could hit 170p, though, if these disruptions persist.
