Petrol hits 18-month high as Gulf conflict drives up pump prices across Deeside and Flintshire
Petrol prices have hit an 18-month high and diesel has reached its most expensive since November 2023, with drivers in Deeside and Flintshire facing some of the sharpest price variation in the country.
The RAC said the average price of a litre of unleaded has risen to 140.6p, up nearly 8p since the start of the conflict in the Gulf.
Diesel has climbed to 159.2p a litre nationally, up almost 17p over the same period.
Data from Deeside.com’s live fuel price map, which covers stations across Deeside, Flintshire, Chester and Wrexham, shows unleaded ranging from 125.9p to 161.9p across the full area.
For drivers on the Deeside and Flintshire patch, the cheapest unleaded is MFG Morrisons in Saltney at 135.9p, nearly 7p below the national average.
Shell Northop and Shell Northop Hall are both showing 151.9p, more than 11p above the national average.
Diesel prices vary even more sharply across the map area, ranging from 134.9p at the cheapest to 184.9p at the most expensive.
On the core patch, the cheapest diesel is 136.9p at Queensferry Service Station.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said filling a family car now costs £4 more for petrol and £9 more for diesel than it did less than two weeks ago.
“The average price of a litre of unleaded has now risen by 6%, or nearly 8p, to 140.6p since the start of the conflict and is at its highest in 18 months,” Mr Williams said.
“Diesel has rocketed by 12%, or almost 17p, to 159.2p a litre, a price we’ve not seen since November 2023.”
The RAC said the cost of a barrel of oil has exceeded $100 and wholesale fuel prices continue to rise.
The speed of price rises prompted the UK Government to call fuel retailers to Downing Street for emergency talks on Friday.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband met with petrol retailers and energy suppliers on Friday evening, pressing them on why prices vary so widely between forecourts and how quickly they pass on cost reductions to drivers.
Ms Reeves noted earlier this week that prices across forecourts varied from £1.27 per litre to £1.80 per litre nationally.
The Chancellor has written to the Competition and Markets Authority asking it to stay on high alert for unjustifiable price rises on petrol, diesel and heating oil.
“I will not tolerate any company exploiting the current situation to make excess profits at consumers’ expense,” Ms Reeves said.
“I’m backing drivers and families — and I expect a fair deal at the pump.”
Mr Miliband said tackling the cost of living was the government’s number one priority and called on all fuel retailers to sign up to the Fuel Finder scheme, which allows drivers to compare prices at nearby forecourts.
The government said almost 90% of retailers are now registered with Fuel Finder and action is being taken to bring the remaining 10% into the scheme.
All major supermarkets have confirmed they are providing real-time data to Fuel Finder.
Three stations on the Deeside and Flintshire patch, EG Mold, EG Moston and EG Beacon 62, are currently showing as unavailable on the scheme, meaning their prices cannot be checked by drivers or monitored for compliance.
The government said households with a car are expected to save on average £40 a year as a result of greater price transparency through the scheme.
Mr Williams said drivers should use price comparison tools to make sure they are not overpaying.
“Drivers deserve and should expect to be treated fairly when it comes to filling up, especially with pump prices still heading north,” he said.
Deeside.com’s live fuel price map covers more than 80 stations across Deeside, Flintshire, Chester, Wrexham and the Wirral, with prices updated in real time.
With prices changing daily, static price lists published online can be out of date within hours.
The map is available below 👇
Check live fuel prices near you before you set off.
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