UK diesel average reaches record £2 per litre

The UK average price of diesel reached a record 200.01 pence per litre on Friday, October 2, according to figures from the RAC, surpassing the previous high of 199.09p recorded in June 2022. The milestone means filling an average family car costs about £110, nearly £32 more than before the Iran war, the RAC said. The price crossed the £2-a-litre threshold after a sharp rise in fuel costs linked in reports to disruption in global oil and refined-fuel supplies amid the conflict involving Iran. The RAC’s figures reflect a UK-wide average; prices vary between forecourts. On September 30, an analysis of the government’s Fuel Finder tool by New AutoMotive put the average at 199.53p and found more than 2,200 forecourts charging at least £2 per litre. Higher prices are adding costs for households and businesses that depend on diesel. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said the increase would be challenging for commuters, haulage and delivery firms, fleet operators and sole traders. For a diesel car returning 45 miles per gallon, the RAC estimated fuel costs at about 20p per mile. Its estimate for a driver covering 10,000 miles a year was £2,020 in annual fuel spending.