The average price of diesel has fallen below £1.60 a litre for the first time since March last year, with drivers finally seeing costs drop. Despite this, diesel is still 13p more expensive on average than petrol, which is having major impacts on delivery costs of goods and service, including to the NHS.
Yesterday, the average pump price of diesel fell to 159.39p a litre, having last been below 160p a litre on March 3, 2022.
Between last March and this April, the UK saw both petrol and diesel prices rise to record-breaking levels.
During the worst of the price rises, average diesel prices were recorded to be 199.07p on July 1.
Petrol this week averaged 146.50p a litre on Thursday, having set a record of 191.53p in early July 2022.
READ MORE: Most drivers looking to switch to electric cars before ULEZ expansion
Since the start of July, 39.69p has fallen off the average price of diesel, resulting in a £31.75 saving for the cost of filling up a Transit-type van’s 80-litre fuel tank.
Luke Bosdet, pump price spokesperson for the AA, said: “Diesel may have been demonised in major towns and cities for its contribution to low level pollution in urban environments, but it remains the workhorse fuel of haulage, deliveries and services.
“Businesses and services that rely on diesel to function had to increase charges to reflect its soaring cost.
“To do that, many introduced a system of fuel surcharges that rise or fall with diesel’s average pump price.”
Despite it being more expensive at the pumps, the wholesale cost of diesel has been lower than petrol for around a month.
According to the AA, diesel leaving refineries and fuel depots has become more than 5p a litre cheaper than petrol heading to filling stations.
Mr Bosdet added: “Average diesel pump prices that remain higher than they should be, not only fleece the private car owner, but fail to alleviate cost pressures on businesses.
“That gets passed on to customers and consumers and keeps inflation higher than it might otherwise be.
READ MORE: Elderly drivers face ‘daunting’ licence renewal every three years
“A dip check of some of these delivery surcharges shows that bloated fuel trade margins are adding at least one percent to invoices and adding to NHS costs.”
Not everyone in the UK is feeling the pressure from diesel, however. Drivers in Northern Ireland experience far cheaper fuel costs than England, Scotland and Wales.
Thanks to the Consumer Council’s Fuel Price Checker, motorists in Northern Ireland benefit from far cheaper pump prices thanks to the transparency.
For example, the average price of diesel in Northern Ireland is 148.5p, while diesel is just 143.6p – far cheaper than the UK average.
Average diesel prices can be even cheaper in certain towns including Armagh where prices are just 142.9p and Omagh for 144.1p.
Petrol drivers can also benefit, with seven towns selling petrol for cheaper than £1.40 per litre – something which hasn’t been seen in over a year for the rest of the UK.
There are hopes that a similar fuel price checker will be launched in England, Scotland and Wales to help drivers with the cost of living crisis.
The Government is looking into the viability of such a scheme, with many motoring organisations, including the AA, backing such a tool.
In the meantime, many apps like PetrolPrices.com and AA show drivers the cheapest fuel in their area, helping them get the best value for money when filling up.
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Automobiles News Click Here