AS Chancellor Rishi Sunak prepares to deliver his Spring statement a little later today, the price of fuel continues to take a hike across the UK, with people feeling the pinch to their wallet when it comes to filling up their tank.

For drivers in County Durham and Darlington, the price rises have also continued – with the average price of petrol now shooting up to 164p, while diesel is on average 175p.

From the start of this week, the average price in the UK for fuel has risen from 163p to a UK-high of 167p.

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Figures from data firm Experian Catalist show the average price of a litre of fuel at UK forecourts on Sunday was 167p for petrol and 179p for diesel.

This is an increase of 18p for petrol and 26p for diesel over the past month and has made the cost of filling a typical 55-litre family car nearly £10 more expensive.

People have started to boycott certain filling stations, due to the consistent ‘extortionate prices’ and others are on the lookout for the hidden petrol station gems within their communities.

The Northern Echo: Figures from data firm Experian Catalist show the average price of a litre of fuel at UK forecourts on Sunday was 167p for petrol and 179p for diesel. Picture: NORTHERN ECHO.Figures from data firm Experian Catalist show the average price of a litre of fuel at UK forecourts on Sunday was 167p for petrol and 179p for diesel. Picture: NORTHERN ECHO.

The Northern Echo has scoured the price of petrol across County Durham and Darlington and has found the cheapest filling stations around.

*These prices are the cheapest, as of March 23, 2022.

Darlington

  • Jet Darlington Road (Newton Park Service Station) – unleaded: 161.9p, diesel: 182.9p
  • BP High Northgate – unleaded: 162.9p, diesel: 176.9p
  • Morrisons Darlington – unleaded: 163.7p, diesel: 177.7p
  • Morrisons Morton Park – unleaded: 163.7p, diesel: 177.8p
  • Asda Darlington – unleaded: 164.7p, diesel: 176.6p

Durham (including Chester-le-Street)

  • Esso Durham (St Giles Filling Station) – unleaded: 162.9p, diesel: 176.9p
  • Tesco Durham Extra (Renneys Lane) – unleaded: 164.9p, diesel: 172.9p
  • Sainsbury’s Durham (Arnison) – unleaded: 164.9p, diesel: 173.9p
  • BP Frederick Street North – unleaded: 164.9p, diesel: 179.9p
  • Jet A177 (Bowburn) – unleaded: 164.9p, diesel: 179.9p

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Bishop Auckland (including Newton Aycliffe and Crook)

  • Gulf Park Head Road – unleaded: 160.7p, diesel: 176.7p
  • Tesco Bishop Auckland – unleaded: 160.9p, diesel: 174,9p
  • Sainsbury’s Bishop Auckland – unleaded: 161.9p, diesel: 175.9p
  • Jet Shildon – unleaded: 161.9p, diesel: 176.9p
  • Jet B6282 (Etherley Moor) – unleaded: 162.9p, diesel: 179.9p

Consett (including Stanley)

  • Morrisons Consett – unleaded: 164.9p, diesel: 180.9p
  • Jet A691 (Parklands Service Station) – unleaded: 164.9p diesel: 175.9p
  • Esso Consett (RSS Villa) – unleaded: 165.9p, diesel: 177.9p
  • Esso Morrison Road – unleaded: 165.9p, diesel: 177.9p
  • Tesco Consett – unleaded: 166.9p, diesel: 177.9p

Peterlee (including Seaham)

  • Jet Durham Road (Wheatley Hill) – unleaded: 161.9p, diesel: 174.9p
  • Morrisons Dalton Park – unleaded: 162.7p, diesel: 177.7p
  • Shell Durham Place (Murton) – unleaded: 162.9p, diesel: 173.9p
  • Esso South Hetton Road – unleaded: 162.9p, diesel: 177.9p
  • Asda Peterlee Yoden Way – unleaded: 164.7p, diesel: 176.7p

The Northern Echo: The continued rise in petrol prices comes just before chancellor Rishi Sunak's Spring statement. Picture: NORTHERN ECHO.The continued rise in petrol prices comes just before chancellor Rishi Sunak's Spring statement. Picture: NORTHERN ECHO.

There are suggestions Chancellor Rishi Sunak could announce a temporary cut in fuel duty of up to 5p per litre in Wednesday’s spring statement.

Gordon Balmer, executive director of the Petrol Retailers Association, which represents independent forecourts, insisted “we don’t want to charge” record prices as “many of our members know their customers personally”.

Asked if average prices could soon hit 200p per litre, he told Sky News that fluctuating wholesale costs mean pump prices “could go up to that level”.

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He added: “We hope not, but it’s obviously very hard to predict at the moment.”

AA spokesman Luke Bosdet accused retailers of failing to pass on a recent fall in wholesale costs.

He said: “Wholesale petrol and diesel costs started to fall away dramatically on March 9, yet more than 10 days later prices at the pumps continue to set new records.

“Even with oil rebounding to 110 US dollars a barrel at the end of last week, wholesale petrol on Friday was down 12p a litre on the March 8 peak.”

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