Renfrewshire drivers facing sharp fuel rises as March prices hit record highs

Drivers across Renfrewshire are being hit by soaring fuel costs after petrol and diesel prices recorded their biggest monthly rises on record in March.

As it stands, the cheapest petrol currently available locally is 148.9p a litre at Jet Renfrew (Abbotsinch Service Station), while the lowest diesel price is 178.9p at Tesco Glasgow Silverburn Extra. Within Renfrewshire itself, diesel is sitting slightly higher at 179.9p at both Tesco Renfrew and Jet Renfrew, highlighting just how expensive diesel remains compared to petrol across the area.

New RAC analysis said average UK petrol prices rose by 20p a litre during the month, while diesel jumped by a huge 40p a litre.

That pushed average unleaded up from 132.83p at the start of March to 152.83p by the end of the month. Diesel rose from 142.38p to 182.77p.

While prices are still below the all-time peaks seen in summer 2022, the latest increases have left drivers paying far more to fill up than they were just a few weeks ago.

According to the RAC, filling a 55-litre family car with petrol now costs around £84, while a diesel equivalent is now more than £100.

Local prices in and around Renfrewshire show how sharply costs have increased, especially for diesel drivers.

Screenshots of forecourt prices from 1st and 2nd April show the cheapest diesel within four miles of the estimated local area was 178.9p a litre at Tesco Glasgow Silverburn Extra. In Renfrewshire, Tesco Renfrew and Jet Renfrew were both listed at 179.9p.

For unleaded, the cheapest local price shown was 148.9p a litre at Jet Renfrew, with Jet Paisley and Esso Nitshill Road both listed at 149.9p.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said March had been “truly unprecedented” and warned the sudden rise would be putting real pressure on households and businesses.

The figures come ahead of the Easter getaway, with millions of leisure journeys expected on UK roads.

For drivers in Renfrewshire, the latest prices mean shopping around for fuel could make a noticeable difference, particularly for anyone running a diesel car.