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The UK’s average price of diesel has surpassed 190 pence a litre, having surged by more than a third since the start of the Iran war, new figures show. But experts said the ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran has raised hopes that pump prices could ‘top out’ in the coming days. The average price of diesel was 190.6p on Wednesday morning, up 34% since February 28, the RAC said. Petrol was also continuing to move higher with average unleaded prices reaching 157.7p, up 19% since the escalation of the conflict. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: ‘Both fuels are now at their most expensive since late 2022. ‘The conditional ceasefire announcement may have taken some heat out of global oil prices, but the outlook for drivers in the UK remains highly uncertain. ‘The best hope in the short-term is that pump prices stop rising at the rate they have been and hopefully top out in the coming days.’ He went on: ‘Much will depend on the stability of the ceasefire, whether oil shipments can move freely through the Strait of Hormuz, and the longerterm impact on oil production across the Gulf. ‘As it is a sustained lower oil price over several weeks, not just a few days that is required to bring wholesale fuel costs down meaningfully. ‘Drivers should not expect significantly cheaper fuel in the short term, although some smaller independent forecourts buying on a ’spot’ basis may be quicker to pass on any reductions.’ Oil prices were plunging on Wednesday and global stock markets recovered sharply after the US and Iran agreed a two-week ceasefire which includes reopening the important Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s stranglehold on tankers passing through the the international shipping route and damage to energy infrastructure in the Middle East has been restricting supply of the commodity to nations that rely on imports. This has sent oil prices to levels not seen since 2022, which was resulting in higher petrol and diesel prices at the forecourts. The cost of filling a typical family car with diesel exceeded £100 late last month for the first time in more than three years. It now costs £104.83 to fill a 55-litre car, £26 more than before the start of the conflict, according to the latest figures. Average prices are still less than the record highs reached in July 2022, when petrol averaged 191.5p a litre and diesel reached 199.1p a litre. But the AA has warned over a ‘pump-price postcode lottery’ affecting parts of the UK, particularly more rural towns. This is despite the gap between what supermarkets and non-supermarket retailers are charging starting to narrow, as forecourts catch up with rivals. The government has published a list of some of the third-party fuel-price apps and websites displaying prices from its Fuel Finder scheme. They include Confused.com, DriveScore, Fuel Finder UK, Fuel Spy, MotorMouth, PetrolPrices.com, RAC Fuel Watch and the AA. By Anna Wise, Press Association Business Reporter Press Association: News source: PA Copyright 2026 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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