FT - Esso fuel pumps

Average fuel prices have again risen to record levels, as pump prices for both petrol and diesel inched ever higher over the weekend.

The daily average retail prices published on the Forecourt Trader website, supplied by Experian Catalist, show unleaded at 172.2ppl and diesel at 182.59.

The RAC estimated that a 55-litre tank of unleaded has now gone above £95 for the first time, while a complete fill-up of diesel would cross the £100 threshold.

RAC fuel spokesperson Simon Williams said: “With crude oil prices consistently above $115 a barrel last week, worse is sadly yet to come just in time for the Jubilee bank holiday, particularly as petrol is now more expensive than diesel on the wholesale market. Due to the rapid rise in the cost of wholesale unleaded retailers are now taking smaller margins on petrol but larger ones on diesel. If the wholesale price of petrol stays above diesel, we ought to see the current 10ppl gap in average petrol and diesel forecourt prices narrow.”