Fuel stations where petrol and diesel cost drops 'will be passed on quickly'

Fuel stations where petrol and diesel cost drops 'will be passed on quickly'Developments in the Middle East conflict have sparked hope that prices are about to top out after weeks of rapid risesCommentsMoneySteven Smith Content Editor11:05, 08 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesUK motorists have been hit hard(Image: Getty Images)Since conflict between the USA, Israel and Iran sparked an economic bombshell through March, petrol and diesel prices in the UK have risen sharply. Drivers had been enjoying stable and reasonably affordable costs over the first two months of 2026, before that came to an abrupt halt.‌In the weeks since strikes were first launched at the end of February, petrol drivers have seen prices rise by around 25p per litre, while diesel drivers have been hit even harder - having no choice but to stomaches of around 50p in that time.‌However, news of a two-week ceasefire overnight and fresh moves to reopen the vital oil shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz has seen oil prices drop substantially, albeit they remain well above where they were before the conflict began. It has sparked cautious hope that pump prices may start to fall.‌RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “The average price of a litre of unleaded is now at 157.71p - up 25p (19%) since the war began - while diesel has exceeded the 190p mark (190.62p) and is up 48p (34%) since February 28."Both fuels are now at their most expensive since late 2022."The conditional ceasefire announcement may have taken some heat out of global oil prices, but the outlook for drivers in the UK remains highly uncertain.‌"The best hope in the short term is that pump prices stop rising at the rate they have been and hopefully top out in the coming days.View 2 ImagesFuel prices have rocketed(Image: OLI SCARFF, AFP via Getty Images)"Much will depend on the stability of the ceasefire, whether oil shipments can move freely through the Strait of Hormuz, and the longer‑term impact on oil production acr...