Andy Burnham's new "game-changer" policy has been slammed as a "weak gesture" that ignores the real issue. The Prime Minister announced that drivers will now be able to see fuel prices on Google Maps on Thursday, hailing it as a "practical way to help people keep more money in their pocket".
According to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the move could save households who own a car around £40 per year. But Howard Cox, founder of the campaign group FairFuelUK, hit back at the announcement, suggesting what drivers actually need is "a Government that stops treating them like tax cash cows".
Fuel Prices Hit Record Highs
It 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.
Mr Cox said: "This is tinkering at the edges. While more than 40 countries have stepped in to help their motorists with duty cuts, VAT reductions or direct support, the UK offers a pathetic Google Maps feature and calls it action. It's insulting."
He added that pump prices are high "because taxes are high and the UK isn't self-sufficient in road fuel production". "Both are entirely within the Government's control," he continued.
Drivers 'Abandoned' in Cost-of-Living Crisis
"This weak response again shows that drivers are being abandoned in a massive cost-of-living crisis."
Mr Cox also suggested that families are being forced to "choose between filling up and putting food on the table" and would not see relief from a "map app". "This is a cost-of-living crisis that is hitting drivers harder than ever, and they deserve real financial relief - not digital window dressing," he said.
FairFuelUK contends that alongside "global events", rising fuel costs are linked to fuel duty and VAT, which make up around 50% of the pump price and are "entirely domestic and within the Government's control" and which it has "refused to cut even once during the recent volatility".
Government Defends the Move
While Labour hasn't cut the standard rate of fuel duty or general VAT, it has maintained and extended a temporary 5p-per-litre fuel duty cut through December 31, 2026.
Announcing the Google Maps update, Mr Burnham wrote on X: "I know people are worried about fuel prices. And I get it. You get to the pump, watch the numbers climb, and wonder why it's costing so much more than it used to.
"The reality is that global events are pushing up costs, and families here at home are feeling the impact. But I won't accept that there's nothing I can do to help. That's why from today, you'll be able to see petrol and diesel prices on Google Maps, compare nearby stations and find the cheapest option before you fill up."
Polly Billington, minister for energy consumers, also described the update as a "game changer", "helping drivers find the best deal and save money at the pump".
Global Conflicts Drive Up Costs
The cost of diesel has risen steadily over recent weeks because of the impact on global supplies from the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and renewed hostilities in the Middle East.
Russian exports of diesel have dropped sharply after many of the country's oil refineries were targeted by Ukraine, leading to extra demand for fuel from other diesel-exporting countries and causing wholesale prices to rise. Meanwhile, the ongoing war between the US and Iran is continuing to disrupt the global trade, with Iran's effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz limiting the production and supply of fuel.
Edmund King, president of the AA, praised the Government's move as a "massive step forward" and said it will ensure drivers 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."
