21 of the cheapest petrol and diesel stations in and around Preston as prices rise again

Motorists in and around Preston are being urged to fill up sooner rather than later as fuel prices begin to creep back up.

According to RAC Fuel Watch, both petrol and diesel rose by about 1p a litre in September, despite little change in global oil prices or exchange rates.

The average price of unleaded increased from 134.64p to 135.41p, while diesel went up from 142.19p to 143.14p, taking a full tank to around £74 for petrol and £78 for diesel.

Prices have now climbed in eight of the past 12 months, though they remain below the highs seen in February. Supermarket forecourts are still cheapest, with petrol averaging 132.11p and diesel 139.67p — about 3p below the national average.

The Competition and Markets Authority says retailer margins remain “far above historic levels”. In Northern Ireland, fuel is up to 9p a litre cheaper, showing, the RAC says, “it’s possible to sell fuel more cheaply and still make money.”

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Sadly, pump prices crept up by a penny a litre in September, reversing the drop drivers saw in August.

“There was little to no movement in oil prices or the exchange rate – and therefore seemingly no justifiable reason for an increase.”

With that in mind, here are 21 of the cheapest petrol and diesel stations in and around Preston, based on data from petrolprices.com as of Friday, October 31: