MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK petrol prices at their highest level of the year

How many quid to fill her up?

Petrol prices in the United Kingdom are now at their highest level of the year, according to the AA. Average UK prices at the pumps are now 107.14p a litre - beating the previous 2009 high of 107.03p a litre on September 9.

Diesel is also at its highest price of the year - averaging 108.40p a litre, the AA reported.

UK petrol prices had fallen to 104.97p a litre by October 11, with diesel at 105.96p, before starting to climb again. This means that a tank of petrol now costs on average nearly £1.10 more than it did two weeks ago.

AA Public Affairs head Paul Watters said: “With the rise in wholesale prices slowing and the price of oil falling back, the AA is hoping that this is yet another spike in the pump price that will drop back.

”However, it comes as drivers see the demands of winter motoring increase their vehicles' fuel consumption. This is bad news for families trying to make ends meet in recession.“

He continued: ”Although the blame lies squarely with stock market traders shifting funds from currencies to commodities, a 1.3p-a-litre rise in the pump price of petrol this week fuels driver suspicion that forecourt prices rise faster than they come down”.