Diesel is set to smash ALL-TIME records within days as Middle East war drives pump prices to near £2 a litre

From the Newshound archive · first published 22 September 2026.

Diesel is expected to top 199p per litre this week, surpassing the all-time UK record set when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, with the average already sitting at 196.1p. The surge is being driven by US-Iran conflict disrupting Strait of Hormuz shipping, pushing oil above $108 a barrel — a roughly 50% rise since June. Petrol stands at 172.4p per litre, up from 135p a year ago, and experts are urging drivers to fill up before Thursday.

Haulier Noel Lewis of Lewis Light Haulage in Stourport-on-Severn says rising costs have forced him and his wife to take wage cuts to keep the business alive.

The AA is calling for the 5p fuel duty cut to be extended and increased, warning rural diesel users and small firms are bearing the heaviest strain.