Drivers battered as HUNDREDS of petrol stations push diesel past £2 a litre in massive blow to motorists

DIESEL prices are racing towards £2 a litre after figures showed hundreds of forecourts across the UK are already charging at or above that level. New figures from PetrolPrices.com reveal 236 petrol stations are already selling diesel for more than £2 a litre, while another 633 are charging exactly 199.9p in an apparent attempt to avoid crossing the symbolic threshold. Meanwhile, the RAC says the average price of diesel across all UK forecourts has now reached 193.85p a litre. That is the highest level since the Iran conflict first sent fuel costs soaring. Unleaded has also risen to 171.27p a litre. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! Both fuels have surged by 10p a litre since the beginning of this month alone. Diesel now stands just 5p below the all-time high of 199p a litre recorded in 2022. The RAC has warned that the record could be broken within a week if prices continue rising at their current pace. The latest surge has been fuelled by escalating turmoil across the Middle East. Wholesale diesel costs have soared by more than 12p a litre this month alone. Saudi Arabia was forced to suspend its crucial East-West pipeline, a 1,200-kilometre route that allows oil to be transported without passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Most read in Money Experts fear the pipeline could remain closed for weeks and warn it may be targeted again. Retailers now have very little scope left to cushion the impact. Diesel margins are already below their six-month average, meaning rising wholesale costs are being passed directly on to drivers. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said the rising cost of diesel would hit businesses hard. He warned firms relying on vans and lorries could be forced to pass extra costs on to shoppers. He also called on the Chancellor to act in the Budget, saying “nothing should be off the table” – including scrapping planned fuel duty rises or cutting VAT on fuel. A PetrolPrices.com spokesperson said the £2-a-litre mark was “now becoming a reality for motorists”. They said prices were changing so quickly that significant price differences could emerge between forecourts in the same area, urging drivers to compare prices carefully before filling up. Experts now warn that more forecourts will move to 199.9p a litre and beyond in the coming days – pushing the UK average ever closer to the dreaded £2 mark. You can use our interactive tool to help you find the cheapest petrol stations in your area below. Comment now