UK petrol prices set to rise after Storm Harvey

Storm Harvey is to hit fuel prices in the UK Credit: PA

Drivers have been warned to expect a rise in the price of petrol due to the effects of Storm Harvey, which has ravaged parts of the United States.

The price of a litre of petrol at the pump could rise by 4p per litre, taking the average price up to above £1.21 per litre.

Petrol hasn't been this expensive in the UK since December 2014.

RAC Fuel Watch data shows that this would also mean the average price of a litre of unleaded moves above that of diesel, something that has not been seen in the UK since early June 2016.

A spokesman for the RAC, Pete Williams said: “The price of unleaded petrol will leapfrog diesel early next week, rising by up to 4p per litre as the impact of Storm Harvey and the shut-down of large refineries in the Gulf Coast drives up US demand for petrol imports."

The price rise is expected to last for some time, he added, until the US oil industry can get its refineries back into operation.

This, says Brian Madderson, Chairman of Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), has pushed up wholesale prices for the UK, as cracks appear in the market.

He added that diesel has not been so affected as the UK imports over 40%, mainly from Russian sources.