FILLING up with fuel at motorway service stations could cost as much as £10 more than other locations.
The price of petrol at service stations is higher than the average cost of a tank of petrol and diesel.
The price of unleaded reached 135.3p last week according to motor experts, and diesel hit 136.6p.
But filling up at some forecourts will set you back as much as 151.9p per litre, the Daily Mail reports.
It comes as millions more Brits spend the summer holidaying at home because of coronavirus travel restrictions.
The government recently warned Brits to opt for a UK holiday this summer instead of one abroad.
However, families face paying hundreds of pounds more for a UK stay as prices soar due to demand and many popular destinations are selling out.
A report by Which? found the cheapest options for a two week holiday in August were in Yorkshire, costing £1,738, while we managed to find the cheapest Cornwall break for £1,531.
For the same 14-day period, a two bedroom cottage in Spain cost just £534.
Petrol prices hit a more than seven year high last month withe the AA warning that drivers were feeling “bent over a barrel” at the rise.
According to the RAC the average price on service station forecourts is 149.7p per litre and 153.7p for diesel.
The price of fuel at Leigh Delamare services which is located on the M4 near Swindon was 151.9p per litre for unleaded, the newspaper reports, and 156.9p for diesel.
It means the cost of filling up the average 55-litre family car there is £84 – £10 more than average.
The same prices were found at Welcome Break garage at Burtonwood services which is on the M62 near Manchester and Liverpool.
Higher prices of 149.9p were also found at BP forecourts at Clacket Lane services on the M25 and South Mimms services in Potters Bar.
Simon Williams, fuel spokesperson for the RAC, told the newspaper: “With so many depending on their vehicles, there’s really nothing drivers can do to escape the high prices.
“Our best advice is to drive as economically as possible to try to make each fill-up go further.”
How to save money when filling up on fuel
Mr Williams previously warned hard-pressed families face bigger bills from rising fuel prices.
“With a second summer staycation in full swing, it’s proving to be a particularly costly one for many families who are using their cars to holiday here in the UK,” he said.
Filling up at supermarkets 3p a litre cheaper at an average £1.32 for petrol and 16p cheaper than motorway service stations, according to the RAC.
Anyone holidaying in UK can use petrolprices.com which shows the cost of fuel within a five-mile radius so you can save money.
A recent check by The Sun found that Shell is charging £1.42 at one forecourt near Norwich for petrol, but just four miles away another Shell garage is 6p less at £1.36.
At Asda in Plymouth petrol is £1.31 but a Texaco garage a few miles away charges £1.37.
In Chester, Asda are also at £1.31 while a BP garage nearby is 11p a litre more, at £1.42.
How to save money by driving more economically
When it comes to changing up a gear, it is most efficient to do it at 2,500 revs per minute (RPM) for a petrol car and 2,000 for diesel.
Try to check your rev counter to avoid over-revving, which wastes precious fuel, says Helen Robinson, marketing director of CarParts4Less .
Driving at 55-65mph instead of 70-80mph can also save you money, as your engine runs at a lower RPM, reducing fuel consumption by a quarter.
The AA recommends driving smoothly, accelerating gently and reading the road ahead to avoid braking unnecessarily and decelerating smoothly by releasing the accelerator in time, leaving the car in gear.
Stoping and starting uses up more fuel than a smoother slowing down ahead of lights and queues, and you could avoid braking completely if the lights change or traffic clears.
The motoring company also warns that extra weight can use up fuel, so remove anything from the car that you don’t need, and take off roof racks and boxes when not in use.
Air conditioning can increase fuel consumption at lower speeds, it advises, so at lower speeds it can be more economical to wind the window down instead.
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