
The average price of petrol and diesel at UK filling stations rose for the fourth consecutive month in January, according to data from the RAC.
The motoring organisation said the average cost of a litre of petrol was now 139p, while the average litre of diesel was now 145.7p
These represent increases of 2.1p and 2.8p respectively month-on-month, and of 4p and 6.2p since October.
The RAC said the price rises had been driven by a mid-month spike in the price of oil, which saw the cost of a barrel above $80 for several days. In addition, a slight weakening in the value of the pound made wholesale fuel more expensive to buy.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “It’s not been a good start to 2025 for drivers at the pumps with prices going up for the fourth month in a row. Sadly, filling up is now nearly £3 more expensive than it was at the start of October.
“We hope this trend won’t continue and that prices drop back down again. Much, of course, depends on global oil supply and demand.
“While the price of oil can be notoriously volatile, there’s reason to think forecourt fuel prices may get cheaper in the coming months as some analysts are predicting an average oil price nearer to $70 this year.”