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Petrol prices continue to rocket in the UK – up to 148.78p a litre

ended 31. March 2026

Petrol prices continue to rocket in the UK, up to 148.78p a litre on average, the latest data says. The highest level since May 2024.

Drivers have even reported seeing over £2 a litre at some pumps.

In the US, average petrol prices have jumped a third from $3 a gallon to $4 on average.

  • What is your reaction to the figures? 
  • Will £2 a litre become the norm?
  • Will petrol prices going up so sharply in the US make Donald Trump rethink his foreign policy?

Responses asap please.

5 responses from the Newspage community

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Editor
Tony Redondo
Founder at Cosmos Currency Exchange
The surge in UK petrol to 148.78p and US prices to $4.00 represents a perfect storm of geopolitical instability and supply fears. While £2.00 a litre has been spotted at high-cost pumps, it is unlikely to become the national average soon; historically, such levels trigger demand destruction where consumption drops, naturally capping prices. The UK's 5p fuel duty cut, in place until September, remains a vital buffer against that psychological threshold. In the US, sharp price hikes are a political landmine for Donald Trump ahead of November's midterms. While his instinct is to drill domestically, sustained high costs may force a pivot — if the economy stumbles, pressure from allies and voters could push him toward brokered de-escalation in the Middle East to stabilise global markets. For now, fuel remains a stealth tax on households, keeping inflation sticky and interest rates high as the world watches the Strait of Hormuz for the next move.
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Samuel Mather-Holgate
Managing Director & IFA at Mather and Murray Financial
The war in Iran continues to effect the UK consumer, as petrol prices scream higher. Average prices will hit £2 per litre by May if there is further escalation in the region, which is a real possibility given the track record of Trump. Given that same consideration, if Trump declares he's won and pulls out of the region the price of oil could retreat as well, meaning petrol prices could be back to normal by the summer.
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Anita Wright
Chartered Financial Planner at Ribble Wealth Management
This is not a story about the world suddenly running out of oil. it is far closer to a supply and delivery shock layered on top of an already debased currency system. There is a crucial difference between there being no oil and there being oil that becomes more expensive to move, insure, refine and deliver because geopolitics has disrupted the chain. When that happens, pump prices jump quickly, not because the earth has run dry, but because the route from producer to motorist has become unstable. My reaction to the figures is that they are a warning sign of how fragile the pricing system becomes when energy meets monetary weakness. Price inflation is not some isolated accident; it is the visible consequence of currency debasement, which then gets intensified by real-world shocks such as energy disruption. Petrol is simply one of the fastest ways that monetary deterioration shows up in ordinary life, because households notice it immediately.
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Stagecoach
Regional PR Manager at Stagecoach
DRIVERS URGED TO ‘DITCH THE CAR’ AS FUEL PRICES BITE – WITH FARES AS LOW AS £1
People across South Wales are being encouraged to consider switching to bus travel as fuel prices remain high and household budgets continue to face pressure.
Children aged 5–15 can travel for just £1
16–21-year-olds can travel for £1 with a valid mytravelpass
Concessionary customers can travel free with a valid concessionary pass
£1.50 single fares currently available across Rhondda Cynon Taf for a limited period
Save up to 30% on DayRider bundles with Multibuy on the app
With the cost of petrol and diesel fluctuating, many households are looking for more predictable and affordable ways to travel. Bus fares offer a consistent and cost-effective alternative, particularly for regular journeys.
Stagecoach South Wales says the current range of low fares means bus travel is one of the most accessible options available, especially for families and frequent travellers.
Customers can also use the Stagecoach app and
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Colette Mason
AI Ethics Consultant at Clever Clogs AI
Petrol at £2 a litre isn't a forecast anymore. It's already on some forecourts, and the average is catching up fast. I paid £1.97/l for regular diesel on the last fill up.

For businesses, this isn't just a cost-of-filling-the-tank story. It runs straight through logistics, field services, delivery, and any operation where staff or goods move. Unlike the general population who take it on the chin, those costs don't get absorbed quietly. They show up in supplier invoices, in van fleet budgets, in the mental arithmetic every sole trader does before accepting a job fifty miles away. The 7% real-terms increase in employment costs that industry commentators flagged earlier this year just got a travelling companion.