Fuel prices across the UK have skyrocketed since the onset of the US-Israel war with Iran on February 28, placing significant financial pressure on drivers in southern England. Industries reliant on petrol and diesel are grappling with soaring costs, with many businesses warning that these increases will inevitably be passed on to consumers.
Petrol prices have surged by 25p per litre since the conflict began, while diesel has jumped by 48p, reaching the highest levels in over three years. This dramatic rise is impacting everyone from farmers to taxi drivers across the region.
"It's a busy time of year and we're sowing crops, putting fertiliser out on crops and it's obviously increased the cost of producing what we do," said James Cossins, who operates a dairy, beef, and arable farm in Tarrant Rawston, near Blandford, Dorset.
Cossins noted that prices have doubled for the 200-300 litres of diesel he requires daily to power his tractors. Fellow farmer Jim Hooper from Berry Hill Farm in Throop, Dorset, echoed these concerns, stating that rising fuel expenses would eventually need to be transferred to customers.
For vegetable growers like Hooper, this period marks the "hungry gap" when stored winter vegetables dwindle and summer crops are not yet ready for harvest. He expressed worry about the timing, as his produce hasn't been at its best quality, making it difficult to justify price increases to consumers.
Taxi drivers are feeling the pinch equally. Perry McMillan, a Southampton cab driver, reported that filling his tank now costs over £50, compared to just under £40 previously.
"To fill up was costing me just under £40 and now it's well into £50," McMillan said. "We're seen as public servants and we've got a duty to get people to where they need to go. If it costs me more in fuel then so be it."
McMillan explained that Southampton City Council regulates maximum fares for licensed hackney carriages within city boundaries, forcing drivers to absorb increased costs themselves. He warned that if prices remain elevated, cabbies may need to work longer hours to compensate.
Shahid Rafiq, secretary of the Reading Taxi Association, described the mental toll of constantly monitoring fuel prices.
"Mentally it's draining because you think, every time you go past a fuel station, 'it's going down, it's going up.' You're hoping it's going to come down but it's not," Rafiq said.
Nick Briggs, a partner at Pittvale Service Station in Winchester for six decades, offered perspective from the fuel retail side. While acknowledging current concerns, he recalled the 2000 fuel protests as more challenging.
"At least this time we have fuel," Briggs noted. "And that makes a big difference. You can imagine that stress when you're not earning any money because you haven't got any fuel [to sell]."
AA president Edmund King attributed the price surge to both supply constraints and global uncertainty.
"Part of it is supply and demand and if oil isn't getting through the Straits of Hormuz that puts the pressure up. But part of it is just the global uncertainty and speculators increasing the prices," King explained.
He advised drivers to shop around for fuel and adjust their driving habits, suggesting that reducing speed by about 10% and driving more smoothly could save approximately 10% on fuel consumption.
The government has implemented a fuel finder scheme to help motorists locate the cheapest fuel options nearby. A government spokesperson stated that while motorists are paying more due to the Iran conflict, the UK has not joined the war and remains committed to keeping costs down.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has indicated it expects "no change to food availability" but will monitor increases in fertiliser and oil prices, prepared to act to protect rural communities if necessary.