Petrol prices in Britain have hit a record high – a “truly dark day for drivers”, warns the RAC.
The average daily price is now 142.9 a litre.
The previous record was 142.48 in April 2012.
The rise comes as worldwide oil prices continue to climb with the benchmark Brent crude jumping to $86.09 a barrel.
Simon Williams, of the RAC, said:
“This is truly a dark day for drivers, and one which we hoped we wouldn’t see again after the high prices of April 2012.
“This will hurt many household budgets and no doubt have knock-on implications for the wider economy.
“The big question now is: where will it stop and what price will petrol hit?
“If oil gets to $100 a barrel, we could very easily see the average price climb to 150p a litre.
“Even though many people aren’t driving quite as much as they have in the past due to the pandemic, drivers tell us they are more reliant on their cars now than they have been in years, and many simply don’t have a choice but to drive.
“There’s a risk those on lower incomes who have to drive to work will seriously struggle to find the extra money for the petrol they so badly need.
“We urge the government to help ease the burden at the pumps by temporarily reducing VAT, and for the biggest retailers to bring the amount they make on every litre of petrol back down to the level it was prior to the pandemic.”
