Petrol drivers are paying up to 3p per mile more to get behind the wheel in the UK than at the start of the year as the cost of ownership continues to rise. Petrol owners were being charged an average of just 135.28p per litre at fuel stations on January 2 before the crisis in the Middle East led to a surge in costs.
Cost per mile rises by 2p
Breaking down the fees for a 36mpg petrol car, road users were paying 18p per mile to use the roads. Petrol prices soared at the end of February as military action in the Middle East led to a disruption in global oil supply.
Prices dipped at the start of July but have since started to rise again, with the latest average for the end of July putting petrol costs at 159.97p nationally. For a 36mpg petrol car, drivers are now splashing out 20p for every mile driven in a 2p rise since the start of 2026.
RAC warning on fuel costs
The news will be a blow to motorists on a budget, with the stats showing that owning a combustion model continues to rise. At the end of July, the RAC warned that the average price of petrol was now at its highest since November 2022. They stressed road users hoping to top-up their entire tank with petrol were now staring down the barrel of an almost £90 fee.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams previously explained: "This means the cost of filling a family-sized car with unleaded has gone up to £88 while a tank of diesel is £10 more."
No change forecast for unleaded
Simon stressed that the wholesale price of petrol eased very slightly but warned that it had not been enough to make a difference at the pumps. However, in some good news for cash-strapped motorists, RAC Fuel Watch has suggested that there is "no change forecast" for unleaded petrol users, meaning prices may have stabilised for now.
Motorists struggling can lower their petrol usage by adopting a series of fuel-saving measures, including driving more efficiently, shopping around for a better deal or looking after their car.
