Motorists able to see fuel prices on Google Maps for first time in 'game-changer' as drivers face paying £10 a gallon amid soaring petrol and diesel bills

Drivers will now be able to see live fuel prices at petrol stations on Google Maps for the first time, in a move the Government has hailed a 'game-changer', amid soaring global fuel prices. Yesterday, analysis showed that the cost of fuel had risen to £10 a gallon at a record number of forecourts, as the cost of diesel surged to £2.20 a litre at up to 150 stations. But from Thursday, drivers in the UK will have the advantage of seeing where nearby has the cheapest price for fuel, via Google Maps. The app will display the price of both fuels when a user searches for a nearby forecourt on the app, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said. According to the department, households who own a car could save around £40 a year through greater transparency on fuel prices. The move comes after the price of diesel hit a new high last Monday at 199.18p per litre, according to the RAC - passing the previous record set in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. On Wednesday, the average price for a litre of diesel climbed to 200.11p, while the cost for petrol was 174.89p. The cost of filling up also surged past the milestone of £10 a gallon for the first time at dozens of forecourts. Google Maps' new feature allows drivers to compare fuel prices at different stations in the UK - a handy feature amid soaring global fuel prices Hitting the milestone will pile pressure on Labour to abandon plans to hike Fuel Duty in the New Year after average diesel prices surged to an all-time record of more than £2 a litre last week. The minister for energy consumers, Polly Billington, said: 'Tackling the affordability crisis is our first responsibility and for so many families and businesses, petrol and diesel are essential goods, not luxuries. 'Accessing the cheapest fuel should be simple, which is why it is a game-changer for near real-time fuel prices to be shown on Google Maps for the first time in the UK, helping drivers find the best deal and save money at the pump.' It has been compulsory for petrol stations in the UK to report pump prices within 30 minutes of a change since February, with third-party fuel apps and websites able to access the information from the Government-run Fuel Finder database. Sarah-Jayne Williams, director of global product partnerships for Geo at Google, said: 'Navigating rising fuel costs shouldn't add stress to everyday journeys. 'Integrating Fuel Finder data into Google Maps and Waze gives drivers visibility on nearby pump prices, helping drivers make intentional choices to help their budgets go further this winter.' The cost of diesel has risen steadily over recent weeks due to the impact on global supplies from the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as from renewed hostilities in the Middle East. Russian exports of diesel dropped sharply after many of the country's oil refineries were targeted by Ukraine, with a key facility near Moscow damaged last month as part of a huge drone operation. Fuel prices on Wednesday surpassed the milestone of £10 a gallon This has led to extra demand for fuel from other diesel-exporting countries, causing wholesale prices to rise. Meanwhile, the ongoing war between the US and Iran is continuing to disrupt the global trade in refined oil and other petroleum materials, with Iran's effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz limiting the production and supply of fuel needed by consumers. Edmund King, president of the AA, said the move was a 'massive step forward', meaning most drivers will have 'easy access' to fuel prices. 'Hopefully, this high-level pump-price transparency will also encourage more competitive prices from retailers,' he said. 'More transparent prices should reduce the extent of rampant price-matching between fuel stations that is currently seen in many areas. 'Those competitive forecourts that break rank and offer lower fuel prices can be found if drivers look hard enough and will now stand out more.' It comes as a mega poll found more than half of drivers are cutting back on journeys because of sky-high pump prices. Six in ten said they were 'driving a lot less' since February, when the US launched war on Iran, sending the cost of petrol and diesel spiralling. In turn, it has stoked inflation. Highlighting the hit to the wider economy, nearly seven in ten said they were cutting spending elsewhere as many said driving less wasn't an option because their vehicles were a 'lifeline' for getting to work, doing school runs or attending appointments. The mega poll of nearly 10,000 people, by the Petrol Prices website, found nearly nine in ten supported freezing or cutting Fuel Duty from January 1, when the current freeze on the levy expires.It will pile pressure on Chancellor John Healey to ditch the planned hike in his first Budget later this month. Under current plans, Fuel Duty will rise by 3p per litre on January 1, with another 2p rise on March 1.The Treasury is also scheduled to end the 16-year freeze on Fuel Duty next year, adding a further 1p in April.VAT will add another 1.2p a litre. The combined 7.2p increase would add almost £4 to the cost of filling up a family car with petrol.Treasury sources have said that 'no decision' has been taken on the Fuel Duty increases. READ MORE: Iran vows to keep Strait of Hormuz closed until the US meets its demands as G7 approves emergency release of diesel and crude oil reserves amid global crisis