Diesel car owners will need to pay 20p per mile to use the roads from October as fuel costs continue to soar at petrol stations across the UK. Last week, the RAC confirmed that diesel fees had passed an average of £2 per litre, the highest all-time rate as costs passed the previous high set in 2022 (199.09p). The RAC warned that the latest price rises mean that the cost of filling up a family car now stands at around £110, a staggering £32 hike since the start of the US/Iran war at the end of February.
Cost of car ownership rises sharply
The price hikes have massively increased the cost of car ownership, with diesel owners feeling the sting. The RAC's Simon Williams explained that fees have now hit around 20p per mile, with road users now likely to be splashing over £2k per year on fuel alone.
He 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."
No sign of slowing
In more bad news for cash-strapped road users, RAC chiefs claim that rising fuel costs are "showing no signs of slowing". It might not end there, with Mr Williams warning that further pain could well be on the way.
He said: "Additionally, US threats of a diesel export ban could cause prices to rise even further. Once again, it's ordinary people who are left footing the bill for events far away, as the UK remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels and imported diesel."
Global impact
It isn't just the UK that has been affected by rising costs, with rising fuel prices a concern across the globe. Fuel costs are rising so quickly because the conflict in the Middle East has disrupted the production of wholesale oil in the region.
Mr Williams added: "This will be very challenging for households and companies that drive a lot of miles, from commuters, haulage and delivery firms, businesses with large fleets all the way through to sole traders."
