The AA has warned drivers to brace for higher petrol and diesel prices as oil costs rise (Image: Getty)
Drivers have been warned to as the and rises during the .
Whilst the is still significantly less than the highs experienced in early 2022, the AA has reported that has increased by 3p per litre since Christmas, with diesel rising by 5p.
Luke Bosdet, fuel spokesperson for the , highlighted that the price increases are only being made worse by the cold weather experienced in the first weeks of the year.
He explained: “Freezing temperatures and are a bad start to 2025 for drivers.
“Their vehicles are consuming more fuel due to engines having to work harder in winter conditions and any weakness in the pound won’t help because oil and fuel commodities are traded in dollars.”
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Drivers who fill up their tank every week could be forced to spend £130 more running their car (Image: Getty)
According to the AA, the average cost of petrol currently stands at 137.2p per litre, whereas a litre of diesel is typically priced at 143.7p.
As a result, owners filling up their tank will need to pay around £1.50 more for a petrol car or £2.50 for a diesel model. Whilst this figure may sound insignificant at first, drivers who fill up their car each week would need to pay up to £130 more to run their car.
However, the impact could be even worse during the winter, with cold weather typically causing petrol and diesel engines to consume more as they warm up.
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Many drivers have recently experienced heavier fuel consumption due to low winter temperatures (Image: Getty)
One of the most significant reasons why the cost of petrol and diesel is currently on the rise is due to the overall price of crude oil increasing to a six-month high.
The price hike followed news that the pound hit a 14-month low against the dollar, the universal currency for oil, after Government borrowing increased.
However, the AA accused retailers of increasing their profit margins over recent months, highlighting that the cost of petrol rose by an average of 2p during December 2024 despite wholesale prices remaining low.
Drivers looking to reduce their petrol and diesel bills throughout January have been advised to minimise the number of cold starts they put their engine through.
By planning journeys in advance, such as by combining different errands, drivers can not only save time but prevent their engine using more fuel as it warms up to its standard working temperature.
Regularly making sure that the tyres have enough pressure can also help to improve fuel economy, with drivers lowering the amount of unnecessary friction they have with the road.