MOTORISTS are feeling the pressure at the pumps as fuel prices hit new highs this week.
The Ukraine crisis has continued to push oil values higher, meaning drivers in the UK are now paying more at the pumps – here is how you can find the best fuel prices near you.
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Average petrol prices continue to hit record highs as uncertainty over oil supplies amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine has increased demand and costs.
The average price of petrol hit 161.06p per litre this week, according to the RAC and it warns this could get higher.
This adds to the pressure households are already facing from rising energy bills and the increased cost of living that is also pushing up the price of food and travel.
Motorists can make a saving on their petrol by shopping and driving around.
Many of the cheapest prices are from supermarket forecourts as brands such as Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s look to tempt drivers to fill up as they shop.
For example, earlier this month Morrisons offered customers 7p off every litre of fuel if they spent £40 in store.
There are a range of websites and apps that will tell you nearby fuel prices based on where you live.
Fleet News and Allstar lets you to check petrol prices across the counties so you can see how your region compares to the UK average.
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The PetrolPrices app and website lets you check prices from more than 8,000 forecourts near you and using data provided by the public.
Comparison website Confused.com also has a petrol prices checker that lets registered users find petrol prices within a five, 10 or 25mile radius.
This may mean having enough in your tank to make the journey to a petrol station as it may involve driving a couple of miles further out.
But there are savings to be made.
For example, The Sun used Confused.com’s petrol price comparison to look at petrol prices in six of the most populated postcode areas of the UK using the latest Census data.
Supermarket forecourts regularly rank as the cheapest places for petrol.
In some cases there can be differences of around 6p per litre between petrol stations within a few miles of eachother.
That may not sound like a lot but if you filled a 50litre tank each week it would amount to a difference of £3.
That £3 saving would be worth £12 by the end of the month and £144 over a year.
Here are the cheapest petrol prices we found in highly populated postcodes.
Croydon
The CR0 postcode of Croydon had the largest number of residents in the 2011 Census.
Using the Confused.com petrol price comparison tool, our research analysed petrol prices at forecourts near the centre of Croydon within a five mile radius.
We found a Sainsbury’s four miles from the centre that was cheapest at 149.9p or £74.95 to fill up a £50 tank.
In contrast, a nearby Tesco in Croydon charges 155.9p, meaning it would cost £3 more at £77.95 to fill up.
Leicester
Leicester comes up as the second most populated part of the UK on the 2011 Census.
Residents can get comparatively cheap petrol from Sainsbury’s in Leicester North, 2.6miles from the centre of the city, at 146.9p.
In contrast, Morrisons charges motorists 149.7p per litre in the centre of Leicester, according to the Confused.com data.
That is the difference between paying £73.45 for a 50litre tank and £74.85.
Waltham Forest
Known for the E17 postcode made famous by 90s band East 17, Waltham Forest in north east London was in the top three when it came to the number of residents in the 2011 UK Census.
Supermarket forecourts actually come up quite pricey in this area.
Texaco is the cheapest in the E17 area at 149.9p per litre.
In contrast, a nearby Asda two miles down the road in Leyton charges 152.7p per litre.
The Asda petrol works out £1.40 more expensive at £76.35 for a 50 litre tank.
Brighton
Motorists may get nice sea views as they drive along the south coast.
But they also face paying among the highest rates for their petrol.
Asda comes up cheapest at 152.7p per litre in Brighton Marina.
A 50litre tank would cost £76.35 to fill up.
This may seem pricey but it is still cheaper than the 157.9p per litre or £78.95 for a 50litre tank being charge by BP in central Brighton.
Brent
Residents of the densely populated London borough of Brent are also lumbered with pricey petrol prices.
Asda in Park Royal charges 152.7p per litre or £76.35 for a 50litre tank.
But if you drive a couple of miles to the neighbouring borough of Harrow, you could spend 146.7p per litre or £73.35 for a 50litre tank at the Wembley Automat.
Coventry
Coventry was one of the cheapest areas for petrol in the sample.
Sainsbury’s in Edgwick, four miles from the centre of town charges 148.9p per litre while other non-supermarket forecourts closer to central Coventry charge up to 152.7p per litre.
That is a difference of £1.90 for a 50litre tank each time you fill up.
Stoke-on-Trent
You have to go north for the cheapest petrol.
Obviously this is only of benefit if you live in the cheapest areas otherwise you will be wasting petrol just making the journey.
The ST5 postcode, which includes areas such as Stoke-on-Trent, Leek and Newcastle, had the lowest petrol prices in the sample at 146.8p per litre.
A 50litre tank would cost £73.40 to fill up.
That was offered by an independent brand called Low Price Always in Burslem, Stoke-on-trent.
In contrast, Sainsbury’s in Newcastle-Under-Lyme charges 148.9p per litre and Morrisons has priced its unleaded fuel at 149.7p.
Motorists would pay £1 more for their petrol by using these supermarket brands.
We explain why petrol prices are going up and how to drive your fuel bills down.
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Here are four easy ways to cut down your petrol bills by hundreds of pounds a year.
Plus, we round up six ways to make a tank of petrol last longer during the fuel crisis.
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