Petrol and diesel cost 299.9p a litre at this central London forecourt today
Motorists are racing to try to find the cheapest fuel as prices have skyrocketed since the start of the Iran war.
Price differences between petrol stations have come as a shock for drivers still trying to score the best deal amid escalating costs.
At one London forecourt, some drivers stopped in their tracks after seeing the eyewatering price tag for petrol and diesel.
A Gulf service station on Sloane Avenue in London’s wealthy Chelsea borough charged 299.9p per litre for fuel today.
A driver paid £243 to almost fill up an entire tank of a Range Rover
An eyewitness told Metro that a Range Rover driver paid over £240 for around 81 litres, which is an almost full tank for the SUV model.
A woman filling up a small Nissan Micra stopped what she was doing after seeing how much it cost, and ended up putting in just four litres worth.
‘We saw around three to four cars during the hour we were there,’ he said.
‘This is one of the most expensive prices I’ve seen,’ he added.
Petrol price broke through the ‘unwelcome’ milestone of 150p a litre on average, the motoring expert RAC said yesterday.
The average diesel price is approaching 180p, sitting at 177.78p ahead of the Easter weekend.
Metro has contacted Gulf Oil for a comment.
Drivers should ‘shop around for fuel’
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The devastating war started by the US and Israel over a month ago has cost thousands of lives in the region, and led Iran to cut off travel through the Strait of Hormuz.
What fuel prices were like at this BP station in Egham, Surrey, on Good Friday (Picture: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock)
The blockade of the key route has sent the global oil trade into chaos, with fears of looming fuel shortages if the conflict doesn’t end soon.
There have also been accusations of ‘price gouging’ at some forecourts, which led to a warning by the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband last month.
Simon Williams, RAC’s head of policy, said: ‘With the long-awaited four-day Easter weekend almost within touching distance, the cost of getting away by car is going to be noticeably higher this year.
‘And with average prices at motorway services at 166p for unleaded and 182p for diesel, drivers on long journeys will need to plan very carefully where they refuel.
A map explaining the importance of the Strait of Hormuz for oil and gas trade (Picture: Anadolu/Getty Images)
‘The best advice remains to shop around for fuel and make use of free apps such as myRAC to never pay a penny more for fuel than is absolutely necessary.’
The fuel industry has assured consumers that supply across Britain is flowing as normal and there is no sign of shortage.
The Fuels Industry UK CEO, Elizabeth de Jong, and the executive director of the Petrol Retailers Association, Gordon Balmer, said in a statement: ‘Supply across the UK is flowing normally and there is no need for any change in usual buying habits – if one forecourt is popular, there will be others to go to.’
Have you seen a petrol station charging more than the forecourt in London? Please email webnews@metro.co.uk
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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