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Drivers urged to shop around amid 11p fuel gap

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July 10, 2026 · 1:11 PM
Drivers urged to shop around amid 11p fuel gap

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Drivers urged to shop around amid 11p fuel gap

Image caption,

Taxi driver Wayne Parsons says fuel prices are hitting hard

By Amanda White

in Hull

  • Published 7 hours ago

Drivers are missing out on savings because many are not using fuel price comparison tools, according to the RAC.

A BBC snapshot of petrol prices in Hull on Tuesday found a difference of more than 11p a litre between forecourts less than three miles apart. Filling a 50-litre tank cost £78.45 at one garage and £72.80 at another – a saving of £5.65.

Simon Williams, the RAC's head of policy, said drivers should make greater use of the government's Fuel Finder service and other comparison apps "to save money".

But taxi driver Wayne Parsons, who travels 200 miles a day, said even the cheaper prices remained too high and "it cripples you".

Parsons was filling up at a Gulf station at Northpoint Shopping Centre, Bransholme, which he said was one of the cheapest in the area.

The unleaded fuel there was priced at 146.7p per litre on Tuesday, more than 5p cheaper than at another station a mile away.

"It's still too high, still far too high, especially when you need it for your living," he said.

Image caption,

Christine Colville has had to give up her shopping trips

Fellow motorist Paul Brown said he used online trackers to choose where to fill up.

"We do come here because it is the cheapest in the area," he added.

Christine Colville said the cost of fuel was having an impact on her social life because she had to save her petrol for getting to work.

It meant no more trips to Sheffield's Meadowhall shopping centre.

According to analysis by the Press Association, average petrol prices in the UK remain about 19p per litre more expensive than before the conflict in the Middle East, despite oil prices returning to pre-war levels.

On Tuesday, some UK petrol stations were accused of failing to report live price changes to Fuel Finder, which is aimed at saving drivers money.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the Competition and Markets Authority had already issued hundreds of warning letters to businesses failing to meet legal requirements to do so.

All UK forecourts have been legally required to report price changes to the database within half an hour since 2 February.

Image caption,

Prices seen at forecourts in east Hull and Bilton, less then three miles apart

When it launched, ministers expected Fuel Finder to save households who own a car an average of £40 a year by increasing competition between retailers, resulting in lower prices.

Williams said: "There have been a few issues with the data, some retailers haven't been updating as much as they should have been.

"But we would really strongly advise people to take advantage of them."

The Petrol Retailers Association, which represents independent forecourts, said smaller, rural sites which only receive fuel deliveries about once per month, may be among those not providing frequent price updates.

When the price of oil rose in March this year, retailers said discrepancies between forecourts were due to some buying oil in bulk weeks in advance, meaning changes to wholesale prices took time to feed through to pumps, and others buying oil at the daily price.

Other factors in price variations include the level of local competition and the location of the filling station, which may affect overheads, especially for those in remote areas.

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