One garage manager from Berkshire said he had noticed a change in customer behaviour, with customers more likely to put \u00a320 of fuel in, rather than fill their tanks up.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a small charity helping people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Dorset said it would have to find ways to cut costs, as it was now costing an extra \u00a32,000 a year to run a key minibus service.<\/p>\n
The MS Centre Dorset runs a fleet of five minibuses, helping users across the county to get to its base in West Parley.<\/p>\n
But manager Diana Logan\u2011Watts said diesel prices had “rocketed so quickly” that the extra costs were “not something that we had budgeted into account”.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/bbc_us_articles_995\/2b0c5f7b8d9179bedc0240b59432c79c.jpg\"\/)
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Diesel prices at pumps across the south have risen above \u00a32 in recent weeks [BBC]<\/p>\n
On Monday, the RAC said diesel prices had entered “uncharted territory” and served as a reminder of “just how exposed the UK is to events occurring far away”.<\/p>\n
It said diesel prices had hit an all-time high of 199.33p per litre – rising by just under 40% since the US-Israel conflict with Iran erupted at the end of February.<\/p>\n
Logan-Watts said this the MS Centre Dorset would “keep on keeping on” despite the vast cost increases, and ensure users could still get to the centre.<\/p>\n
“But these rising costs have a knock-on effect, and we don’t want to put additional prices and costs onto our members who are already struggling with the cost of living,” she said.<\/p>\n
“So we have to try and absorb those costs elsewhere, and one of those ways is thinking more closely about the additional services that we’re able to offer, like trips.<\/p>\n
“These make a real positive difference to our members lives, but will have to be looked at in more depth and ask where the money’s going to come from.”<\/p>\n
![\"Southampton](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/bbc_us_articles_995\/d90693a6053ab67a00e501d7751f59d6.jpg\"\/)
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Southampton taxi driver Neil McLean said the price increases “need to stop” [BBC]<\/p>\n
It’s not just charities in the South feeling the pinch though, with Southampton taxi driver Neil McLean asking “what can we do?” about the soaring costs.<\/p>\n
“We’ve got to earn a living, and none of us are happy,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It’s not putting money in our pockets, it’s taking money out of our pockets – and it needs to stop.”<\/p>\n
David Price owns Southampton-based DCP Haulage, and said if things did not improve he would have to look at “parking up trucks” or “actually downscaling”.<\/p>\n
“We just can’t physically afford the fuel prices, we’re looking an extra \u00a3250 a week per vehicle,” Price said.<\/p>\n
“We have downscaled a lot lately and we have talked about packing it all up.<\/p>\n
“It’s not worth it with these prices – you’re just not making any money.”<\/p>\n
![\"Ian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/bbc_us_articles_995\/06666a892a4ec7263d581e253e0da9ee.jpg\"\/)
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Ian Govier manages the Littlewick Green Motor Company garage in Maidenhead [BBC]<\/p>\n
Ian Govier manages the Littlewick Green Motor Company garage in Maidenhead, and said his costs had “gone up dramatically over the years”.<\/p>\n
“Ten years ago, we’d look at having [a profit margin of] 6p a litre, now I really need close to 15p a litre to still have the same profit,” he said.<\/p>\n
He said he had also spotted customers habits changing, including more using cash as a way to “control their budgets”.<\/p>\n
“We are definitely seeing instead of putting your normal \u00a350 pounds in to fill up, a lot of people are now sticking in \u00a310, \u00a320,” he said.<\/p>\n