Pump prices are on the rise with the potential of petrol and diesel to surge by an extra 5p a litre by the end of October.

Prices are already edging up in the county with drivers reporting that some garage forecourts had put prices up by 4p a litre since the end of September.

James Street Service Station in Carlisle, was selling unleaded at 117.9 but owner Chris Toole was warning this would creep up towards the end of the month. Diesel was 118.9p, but was forecast to go higher.

“Both petrol and diesel prices have been creeping up slowly over the last few weeks. One pence or two pence here and there. We will see it continue to rise because of the weak pound and rise in oil prices,” said Mr Toole.

The cost of filling up a typical family car has already risen by nearly £6.50 in the last seven months after unleaded jumped from around £1 a litre to more than 113p.

But the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) said the expected rise at the pumps of another 5p a litre by the end of the month will add a further £2.75 to a tank of fuel.

The weak pound and a rise in oil prices are predicted to keep pushing up the cost of petrol and diesel.

It came as the price of Brent crude oil hit the highest level in a year last week – more than £53 a barrel – amid speculation that Russia would join other oil-producing countries in cutting output.

Brian Madderson, chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association, which represents the views of forecourts across the country, said: “Motorists can expect increases of up to 4p or 5p per litre by the end of the month unless there are favourable corrections to the exchange rate and to global oil prices. This will also increase UK inflation rates.”

The RAC described the rise in the price of oil and fall in the pound as a ‘double whammy’ for motorists.

With road users across the board starting to feel the squeeze, finding ways to save on fuel bills has never been more critical.

From mums on the school run to road hauliers there is a need to make every fill-up last longer.

The latest figures show that unleaded petrol has risen to 127.9p in the Carlisle area with the lowest price 110.9p at Sainsbury’s Supermarket in Bridge Street, and the average price 116.44p.

Figures from the price comparison website www.petrolprices.com reveal that the lowest motorists in the Carlisle area will pay for diesel is 111.9p, with the highest price 130p, and an average price of 118.14p.

In the Workington area, the highest price drivers will pay at the filling station for diesel is 117.9p, with the lowest 113.7p. Unleaded is costing at the top end 117.9p with the lowest price 113.7p at Asda in Dunmail Park.

In the Penrith area, the highest price motorists can expect to pay is 118.9p for unleaded, with the lowest 115.9p at Townhead Garage in Scotland Road. While diesel is priced at 118.9p with the lowest at 115.9p

This time last year a snapshot of the price of fuel in the UK was around 108.9p for unleaded petrol and 110.4p for diesel.


Eric Nicholson Eric Nicholson, owner of haulage company Eric Nicholson Transport in Cockermouth, which buys 90,000 litres of fuel a month direct from refineries, said fuel prices were steadily creeping up. “However, we have all been enjoying low fuel prices for the past 12 months.”

“But with our bigger customers we have a fuel escalator written into our contracts. If the fuel cost falls below a certain mark we rebate the saving back to them, however if the price rises we put a surcharge in place. It is the only way we can survive. The market is so competitive out there,” said Mr Nicholson.

“However, the cost of fuel is probably going to end up where it should be. In the long-term I am confident the exchange rate will sort itself out and this will in turn will see fuel prices stabilise,” added Mr Nicholson,

The PRA has written to Chancellor Philip Hammond calling for fuel duty to be cut from 57.95p a litre to 55p a litre in the Autumn Statement next month.

Since the Brexit vote in June, the value of the pound has fallen by 15 per cent against the dollar. Oil is purchased in dollars, making buying it more expensive for UK companies.

According to the RAC, the dramatic price rises have been brought on by a “perfect storm” that is creating an “ominous” future for motorists.

“The plummeting pound, combined with a rising oil price as a result of indications that Opec and possibly Russia will agree a cut in oil production in November, are driving wholesale prices up,” RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said.

“However, it is the flash crash of the pound that took place on October 7 which has been the major factor in the sheer speed of the average price increases as fuel is traded in US dollars. This has led to the average fuel price rising 3p per litre in three weeks.”

Mr Williams said the increase in prices should make the Treasury “think again” if it is considering raising fuel duty in next month’s Autumn Statement.

He added: “The present situation underlines just how rapidly things can change. It looks as though we are heading towards a new norm of the oil price fluctuating between lower and upper limits of 35 US dollars and 55 US dollars a barrel,” he said.

“This means that motorists should hopefully not see the eye-watering prices they were paying at the pumps in April 2012 when the average price of petrol was 142p and diesel was close to 150p per litre.”

Sterling fell below the $1.22 mark against the dollar this week to $1.217. But HSBC has predicted the pound will drop below $1.10 against the dollar by the end of 2017 as fears and uncertainty surrounding Brexit intensify.

It comes after a landmark agreement between the world’s major oil-producing countries to cut production of crude oil. This has led to a rise of $6 in the price of a barrel of oil to $50 – the first time since June that the figure has been so high.

According to RAC Fuel Watch, this meant that motorists were already paying more at the pumps at the end of last month.

The data showed that a litre of diesel rose by 42p to hit the highest average cost since August 2015 – 113.34p.

Meanwhile, average petrol prices were also up by 0.48p to 112.07p, just short of the 2016 peak of 112.33p

Tips to get cheaper fuel and drive economically:

  • Fill up at busy petrol stations. These stations buy more fuel and can take advantage of falling prices.
  • Do your research. Websites allow you to compare prices in your area.
  • Play the supermarket game. When you’re shopping, keep an eye out for vouchers offering petrol discounts but be aware of the overall cost.
  • Stop by provincial towns. Airports, motorways, expensive cities and rural areas have the highest charges.
  • Keep your car properly serviced. A well-maintained car is up to 10 per cent more efficient.
  • Get rid of unnecessary weight.
  • Smoother is better. The less pressure on the accelerator, the less fuel you're using; avoid sharp braking and focus on the road ahead to keep your accelerating as smooth as possible.
  • More air, less petrol. Under-inflated tyres are less efficient.
  • Ditch the drag. Roof racks off when they're not in use.
  • Driving at between 50 and 60 miles an hour is generally the most petrol efficient way to get from point A to point B. It can save you up to 40 per cent fuel on journeys.
  • No air con under 40mph - open a window instead. That said, if you're going fast the drag of an open window uses more energy than air con, so switch to that if you need to stay cool (although ideally on “recirculation” mode)