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Petrol and diesel drivers may want to fill up before Thursday as fuel prices hit record highs since the outbreak of war in Iran. Motorists are now paying an average of 169.68p per litre for unleaded petrol and 191.68p for diesel, according to data from RAC Fuel Watch on Monday, September 14.

Prices have also surpassed the diesel highs of 191.54p recorded on April 15, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to inflate oil prices. It would now cost around £93 to fill up with petrol and £105 for diesel, for drivers with an average 55-litre fuel tank. Motorists who want to avoid paying even more could consider filling up before the weekend, when fuel prices can creep higher as demand increases, according to data shared by Car Owl.

Fuel price data showed prices can begin to rise as demand increases on Fridays and Saturdays, some of the busiest days for leisure driving. Sunday can also remain expensive as motorists make return journeys.

However, there is no guaranteed cheap day since it is driven by global markets, and the difference is usually small, so location can make a far greater difference than the day of the week.

In Ballymena for example, Go Ballymena is selling petrol for 151.9p a litre, which is almost 20p below the current UK average. That would save a driver with a 50-litre tank almost £9 compared with filling up at the average UK price.

Drivers are now facing some of the highest prices in recent years. Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, said fuel prices are now at levels not seen since early August 2022, just a few months after Russia invaded Ukraine, reports GB News.

Mr Williams said: “With oil well over $100 (£74.20) a barrel, there’s no end in sight to high pump prices and the pain it brings to drivers who depend on their vehicles.

“In fact, the average price of diesel may be on the way to overtaking the record high of 199.05p set on June 25, 2022. Petrol, however, is still a long way from its all-time record of 191.53p on July 3, 2022.”