Almost one in ten UK filling stations are now charging around £2 a litre for diesel, as pump prices climb towards record highs and add further pressure to inflation. The surge follows the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the war between the US and Iran, which has squeezed global oil supplies and pushed transport and shopping costs higher for households and businesses alike.

Analysis found 236 forecourts selling diesel above £2 a litre and a further 633 at 199.9p, meaning 869 sites — roughly 10 per cent of the UK total — are at or near that threshold. Average diesel prices reached 193.85p and petrol 171.27p, both up sharply from 142.38p and 132.83p before the conflict began, taking the cost of filling a 55-litre tank to £107 for diesel and £94 for petrol. UK inflation has risen from 2.9 to 3.1 per cent, with fuel costs a key driver, prompting calls from the RAC and Reform UK's Richard Tice for the Government to scrap planned Fuel Duty rises of 3p and 2p a litre due in January and March, rather than adding to the squeeze on drivers and hauliers.