THE Government faced calls to do more for motorists last night as petrol prices soared above £1 a litre for the first time in the region.

Although many garages have held back from pricing a litre of unleaded above the psychologically important £1 barrier, prices have risen steadily in the past week.

Fears of shortages in the wake of Hurricane Katrina fuelled the already jittery oil markets.

In many parts of the North-East and North Yorkshire, the cost of a litre is 5p more than it was a week ago, adding 22p to a gallon.

And several North Yorkshire garages are selling fuel for far more than £1 a litre.

North-East television presenter Paul Frost hit out after paying 105.9p for a litre of unleaded at Leeming Bar, near Northallerton, in North Yorkshire, yesterday.

He said: "I drove down to Burton-on-Trent and petrol there was only 95.9p.

"I don't understand why some petrol stations are so expensive.

"It seems prices go up for the slightest of reasons."

Petrol stations in Harrogate and Hawes were also charging more than £1 a litre yesterday, with experts suggesting many others will follow in coming days.

The confusion has led to large disparities across the region, with big differences in prices between forecourts only a few miles apart.

Less than 25 miles away, the Shell garage, in Woodland Road, Darlington, was selling unleaded for 93.9p per litre yesterday.

Supermarkets were also holding firm on price.

At the Asda superstore in Portrack Lane, Stockton, motorists could fill up for 89.9p a litre. The Morrison's filling station in Consett, County Durham, was selling a litre of unleaded for 93.9p. Morrison's in Bishop Auckland was a bit cheaper at 92.9p.

The Murco filling station at Bildershaw, near West Auckland, County Durham, pegged unleaded and diesel at 99.9p per litre. But motorists could save themselves money if they topped up at the Oakley filling station, in West Auckland, where unleaded was 91.9p.

Some motorists said they were not prepared to pay high prices and would shop around for the cheapest fuel.

Furniture distribution manager Jan Waite, from Brompton-on-Swale, North Yorkshire, yesterday travelled to a petrol station on the A1 charging 99.9p a litre.

She said: "I drove all the way to Darlington to find somewhere cheaper."

Haulage firm owner Tony Biker, from Biker Wenwaste, in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, said recent fuel increases were costing his business an extra £100 a week per lorry.

"If we're not careful, this could send the western world into recession," he said. "The Government doesn't seem to be doing anything about it."

Leeming Bar petrol station owner Julian Les said he had no choice but to put up his prices.

He said: "I bought the petrol on Friday for 99.9p a litre. At the moment, we're simply buying it more expensively than we would like."

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