Motorists using Woodall services on the M1 near Sheffield have expressed outrage after petrol prices hit 172.9p a litre, making it one of the UK’s most expensive service stations. Diesel at the site, which opened in 1968, reached 185.9p a litre, prompting accusations of profiteering amid rising global oil costs.
Biker Alan Harrison, travelling from Leeds to Bournemouth, described the prices as “daylight robbery” and warned that people would reconsider car use if costs continued to climb. Kevin Grieve, en route to a medieval reenactment in Coventry, noted he paid 171p a litre, up 20p from the previous week, and planned to avoid motorway stations on his return journey.
Fuel prices have risen at their fastest rate since 2022, reaching an 18-month high on Friday following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Petrol increased by an average of 7.8p to 140.6p a litre, while diesel rose by 16.8p to 159.18p, according to industry data.
Football fan Shannon Higgott, driving from Hartlepool to London, said she filled up at 133p a litre before her trip to avoid motorway prices. Lorry driver Sujinder Singh, who owns his vehicle, said the last two weeks had been “a bit crazy” for business. EV driver Keith Bradley praised his switch to electric, noting that EV prices had risen but remained far lower than petrol and diesel.
David Hooper, managing director of the Hull and Humber chamber of commerce, accused retailers of profiteering, stating that fuel bought weeks in advance had not increased in cost. He warned that higher delivery costs would be passed on to consumers, driving up inflation. A spokesperson for Welcome Break, which operates Woodall services, said pricing was set consistently across its network and reflected rising fuel costs, adding that it would continue to monitor market conditions.
