Average diesel price crosses £2-a-litre threshold as ministers refuse to say whether planned fuel duty hike will be cancelled

Published: 07:59 EDT, 30 September 2026 | Updated: 08:14 EDT, 30 September 2026 The price of diesel on forecourts has crossed the £2-a-litre threshold as Andy Burnham dodged on whether planned fuel duty hikes will go ahead. The RAC Foundation said the average cost on the Government's Fuel Finder site reached 200.03p this morning.The grim milestone sparked fresh pleas to take pressure off struggling motorists during the Middle East crisis, with the PM saying he is 'considering everything' but has to be mindful of the 'state of the public finances'. Donald Trump has been threatening restrictions on US diesel exports that could make the situation far worse - although Brent Crude prices have dipped below $100 a barrel today after better news on supplies. Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said 86p of the diesel price per litre goes 'straight to the Chancellor' in fuel duty and VAT. 'If this government wanted to help drivers and businesses it could cut the amount of tax it takes,' he said. The price of diesel on forecourts has crossed the £2-a-litre threshold as Andy Burnham dodged on whether planned fuel duty hikes will go ahead'The prime minister says politics is about choices. Unfortunately most of the nation's drivers don't have the choice of whether to make a journey or not. 'They have to take the financial pain being inflicted on the forecourts.'There are around 4.6million vans and 10.3million cars powered by diesel on the UK's roads with a further 18.9million cars fuelled by petrol.'Other figures compiled by the RAC - which is separate to the foundation - suggested that the average diesel cost per litre is still fractionally short of £2 at 199.72p.Prices have risen steadily in recent weeks on that metric and on Monday surpassed the previous all-time peak of 199.09p from June 2022.Fuel duty applied to diesel is due to rise on January 1, from almost 53p per litre to almost 56p.Asked whether he would halt the change, Mr Burnham told BBC Breakfast: 'I'm considering everything that might help people in very difficult times and I will be honest and say every possible measure is being looked at.'The question I've got is: ''How many can I afford?'''What can we do given the state of the public finances?'Mr Burnham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that it was not 'an overstatement' to say the country was heading for an energy crisis.'When I look at the prices at the pump at this moment in time, if we include diesel and petrol within that, this is very challenging, isn't it, for people who are filling up today?' he said.'When we look at energy prices in the home, difficult too.'He said he was 'doing what I can' but 'it is very difficult indeed, and it's why the Middle East situation needs to command a lot of our attention'.Mr Burnham added: 'I met the president of the United States last week. We spoke about this situation. Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is an urgent international priority. We've got to work at all of these things.'The reason, the main driver of that crisis, is beyond our control. But we can contribute to solving that situation, and that is what I've been doing as Prime Minister.'