The cost of fuel continues to soar to new heights, meaning motorists are finding it increasingly difficult to budget for the need to refuel their vehicle.

Drivers across the country have seen fuel prices rise to £2 a liter in some places. Thankfully that’s not the case in Berkshire – but the cost has almost doubled since January 2016.

According to the latest analyzes and figures from Fuel Watch, the RAC’s fuel price monitoring servicethe average price of unleaded in the UK reached 187.51p per liter on Thursday 16th June. There are no changes planned for this at the moment, but the same cannot be said for diesel.

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Those who must use the black pumps in the forecourt face an increased cost to fill their tanks. According to Fuel Watch, the average diesel price, currently at 194.17 pence per litre, is set to rise.

The average annual fuel cost continues to climb, as the 2022 figures are higher than any on record. Unleaded has an average annual cost of 155.47p per liter and diesel 163.97p per litre.

And while the cheapest fuel is still much more expensive than that at the moment, we’ve rounded up the best places to refuel within five miles of five major Berkshire towns, including Reading, Slough and Newbury. Our interactive map below shows you where the cheapest gas stations are near you.

Residents of Bracknell should drive to Tesco in Wokingham, which has the cheapest prices for unleaded and diesel. We have also narrowed down the cheapest places in Maidenhead as the cheapest was the same as Slough or across the Buckinghamshire border at Bourne End.

There has been a lot of recent speculation about which part of the cost of fuel is actually some form of tax. The RAC figures confirmed the claim that nearly half of what consumers pay is tax, with 45% of the average unleaded retail price going to the government.

The figure is slightly lower for diesel, with the tax representing 44% of the average cost per litre. Earlier this month, the RAC warned that the average cost of filling a tank of petrol reached £100 for the first time.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “It’s a really dark day today for drivers whose petrol is now crossing the very depressing £100 per tank (£100.27) threshold. A full tank of diesel now costs £103.43.

“With average prices so high – 182.31p for a liter of unleaded and 188.05p for diesel – there will almost certainly be upward inflationary pressure, which is bad news for everyone. With fuel prices setting new records daily, households across the country might never have expected to see the cost of filling a mid-size family car hit triple digits.

“With RAC research showing that up to eight out of 10 depend on their cars, many must be wondering if further financial support from the government will be forthcoming. wholesale petrol prices have already risen by five times the amount since the Spring Statement (25p).

“A further reduction in customs duties or a temporary reduction in VAT would greatly help drivers, especially those on low incomes who have no choice but to drive. It is also important to remember that the government always benefits high fuel prices, charging around 30p VAT on every liter sold.

“That compares to just 25pence before Russia invaded Ukraine. On top of that the government still collects 53pence on fuel for every litre.”

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