Petrol prices: This is where to find the cheapest petrol and diesel in Preston as costs reach record high

Figures released by motoring organisation the AA showed petrol prices have soared to their highest level with average pump prices at the weekend reaching 148.02p a litre. This compares to the previous all time high of 147.72p last November.

Meanwhile average diesel prices have risen to 151.57p a litre, passing the previous record set in November, 2021 when prices rose to £151.10p a litre.

So where do you go to find the cheapest fuel prices?

According to the AA the two cheapest places to fuel up Preston today were on Ribbleton Lane and Blackpool Road.

* At the Texaco garage on Ribbleton Lane unleaded petrol was £143.08 a litre.

* At Morrisons petrol station on Blackpool Road diesel was selling at £145.05p a litre.

It pays to shop around if you can said the AA, as another nearby garage was selling diesel at a much more expensive £153.09 p a litre.

At the Texaco Key filling station on Garstang Road, Preston unleaded petrol prices were £146.09 a litre and diesel was £149.09p a litre. Manager Imran Master said some customers were complaining about the high cost of fuel, but others were getting used to it. He said: "They are not filling up as much.. It's quite difficult at the moment. I've heard the prices are still going to go up."

At the Gulf petrol station on Bow Lane unleaded petrol was £148.19 a litre and diesel £151.49 a litre.

Heading out of Preston the BP petrol station on the Garstang By-Pass Road was charging £149.09 a litre for unleaded petrol and £153.09p a litre for diesel.

Website petrolmap.co.uk advised the overall the average petrol price in Preston is £144.4p a litre. It offered 34 results for unleaded petrol in Preston but some prices dated back to February 9.

Jack Cousens, Head of Roads Policy at the AA, said with prices were fluctuating up and down the country AA members can search on the AA app for the best prices in a locality - getting a choice of five or six local garages with price comparisons. Prices are tracked daily. But Jack advised petrol customers to factor in journey times and distances when choosing where to buy and if possible plan ahead to factor in fuel top ups.

He said: "It may be cheaper 10 miles down the road but actually how much fuel are you going to spend getting there and back?"

Jack continued: "It's certainly getting more expensive. If people have got the opportunity and means to switch to electric even with the impending rise in domestic electricty it will still be far more cheaper to choose an electric vehicle than it will be to fuel your car on petrol or diesel."

Even before the latest price rises motorists were feeling the pinch. Following the November increases the AA polled 15,335 of its members to gauge the impact on personal and family spending and found 43% of them were cutting back on car use, other consumer spending or both - those figures rose to 59% for the youngest drivers and 53% for lower-income motorists.

Across the 8,361 respondents of working age (65+ years excluded), 10% were cutting back on weekly shopping, rising to 17% among the 25-34 year olds.

Alex Kindred of insurance website Confused.com which also offers a petrol price finder service said : “More than two in five (41%) drivers feel that current fuel costs are unjustified. Drivers need to be as savvy as ever to find the best fuel prices alongside other motoring expenses. Competing supermarkets often offer petrol discounts and larger petrol stations can usually offer their fuel at slightly lower prices, in order to try and entice drivers, although this could be at the expense of smaller independent providers. Fluctuation in prices, as well as varying costs between regions and suppliers, makes it confusing to know when and where we’re going to get the best deal."

* Motoring organisations and other websites offer price comparison sites, but when seeking guidance always check that prices are up to date.

To subscribe to the Lancashire Post see hereFor more on the cost of filling a tank see here