A year on from petrol prices hitting all-time highs the cost of refuelling is back on the rise.

In July the average cost of topping up the tank increased for the second month in a row.

A litre of unleaded across the UK costs on average 145p this month, up a penny on the start of July and 2p on the beginning of June.

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The wholesale price of petrol rose 6p a litre from 19 July on the back of the rising cost of oil with retailers wasting no time in passing this on to drivers as the average price has increased by nearly 2p, the RAC said.

Diesel stayed the same at 146p (145.84p), ending a run of eight months of falling prices. This means filling a tank for a 55-litre family car costs around £80 for either fuel – £80.21 for diesel and £79.75 for petrol.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “July marks a turning point in the year for fuel prices as diesel stopped falling while petrol recorded its second consecutive monthly increase. But more concerning is the fact that oil has gone back up to $85 a barrel, causing wholesale prices to rise significantly.

“While we’re fortunately not in the kind of upward price spiral we experienced last year, it feels like the better times at the pump are over for the time being. If oil producers continue to curb production then bigger forecourt price rises could be on the cards.

“This has led to a squeeze on retailer margins which were too large, so we’re currently seeing a return to them making an amount per litre more similar to their longer-term averages. The big question now is how quickly and how far pump prices rise.

“We sincerely hope we won’t see them shoot up like the proverbial rocket as this would indicate the Competition and Markets Authority’s fuel market investigation findings and recommendations have not had an immediate impact. Encouragingly, there has so far been very little upward movement from the big four supermarkets but only time will tell.”

Here is a list of all the cheapest fuel prices in County Durham, Darlington and Teesside (as of August 11), according to price comparison website PetrolPrices:

Durham

  • Tesco Durham Extra  – unleaded: 140.9p, diesel: 144.9p
  • Sainsbury’s Durham Arnison – unleaded: 140.9p, diesel: 144.9p
  • ESSO Alma Place, Dragonville – unleaded: 144.9p, diesel: 148.9p
  • BP Meadowfield – unleaded: 145.9p, diesel: 148.9p
  • ESSO St Giles – unleaded: 146.9p, diesel: 147.9p

Darlington

  • ASDA Darlington Automat – unleaded: 143.7p, diesel: 148.7p
  • Morrisons Darlington North Road – unleaded: 142.7p, diesel: 146.7p
  • Sainsbury’s Darlington – unleaded: 143.9p, diesel: 146.9p
  • Morrisons Morton Park – unleaded: 144.7p, diesel: 148.7p
  • SHELL Haughton Road – unleaded: 145.9p, diesel: 146.9p

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Bishop Auckland

  • Sainsbury’s Bishop Auckland – unleaded: 136.9p, diesel: 137.9p
  • JET Etherly Moor – unleaded: 137.7p, diesel: 139.9p
  • Morrisons Bishop Auckland – unleaded: 138.7p, diesel: 140.0p
  • Park Head Service Station – unleaded: 139.7p, diesel: 141.7p
  • Cockton Hill Services – unleaded: 139.8p, diesel: 140.8p

Middlesbrough

  • ASDA Thornaby – unleaded: 140.7p, diesel: 142.7p
  • ASDA Stockton Automat – unleaded: 140.7p, diesel: 142.7p
  • ASDA Middlesbrough – unleaded: 141.7p, diesel: 145.7p
  • Sainsbury’s Middlesbrough – unleaded: 141.9p, diesel: 143.9p
  • ESSO Heath Road – unleaded: 142.9p, diesel: 145.9p