Diesel drivers can save up to £40 a year on fuel following the launch of near real-time pump prices on Google Maps. As of October 8, near real-time prices for both diesel and petrol are displayed on the app for the first time, allowing drivers to find the cheapest places to fill up.
The UK Government introduced its Fuel Finder service earlier this year to let drivers compare the cost of diesel and petrol at every petrol station nationwide. All filling stations are now required by law to report pump prices within 30 minutes of a change, giving drivers access to real-time pricing.
How the service works
Checking local fuel prices is now as simple as opening Google Maps and searching for a nearby forecourt, with near real-time prices for diesel and petrol shown in the app. According to the Government, Fuel Finder can save drivers an average of £40 per year by comparing prices and seeking out the cheapest places to fill up. The service now covers 99% of all fuel sold on UK roads.
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 gamechanger for near real-time fuel prices to be shown on Google Maps for the first time in the UK, helping drivers to find the best deal and save money at the pump.”
Record diesel prices
Since February 2026, petrol stations across the UK have been required to report fuel prices within 30 minutes of a change or risk a fine. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) can take action where there is evidence that petrol stations are not complying with the law.
Most petrol stations are inputting data to Fuel Finder promptly, with around 99% of all fuel sold on UK roads now reflected. The data is already used by thousands of drivers across apps such as Waze, Petrol Prices, the AA, Confused.com and RAC Fuel Watch, and its integration with Google Maps will help millions more motorists find the best price at the pump.
The launch on Google Maps comes after the average price of a litre of diesel hit £2 for the first time last month. RAC analysis shows that diesel has risen to a record of 200.01p a litre, meaning the cost of filling an average family car now stands at £110 – close to £32 more than at the start of the US/Iran war. Petrol prices have also risen, with a litre of unleaded now at 174.71p on average, around 42p more than at the start of the Middle East conflict. Filling an average-sized petrol car now costs £96 overall.
Impact on drivers and businesses
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “For an average 45mpg diesel car, the cost works out at an extraordinary 20p per mile, so a driver covering 10,000 miles a year is now spending £2,020 on fuel a year. Households will be tightening the purse strings, while businesses may have no option but to pass these additional costs onto customers.”
“The previous highest price of 199.09p seen in June 2022 is already becoming a distant memory as the conflict in the Middle East continues with no sign of a deal to reopen the critical oil and gas shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz.”
To further help drivers save money at the pumps, Chancellor John Healey announced in the Budget that the 5p cut to fuel duty, which was due to end on December 31, will be extended for the 16th year at 52p a litre until July 1, 2027. The Government said its decision on fuel duty across the Parliament will save the average car driver £230 and means petrol and diesel will be 15p per litre cheaper from April 2027.
