Petrol prices soar to new Iran war high despite Rachel Reeves extending fuel duty freeze

British motorists are being warned of high fuel prices as fresh data shows that petrol is now at its highest rate since the start of the Iran War.Research from RAC Fuel Watch shows that petrol car owners are paying 159.43p per litre, the highest it has been since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East.Drivers are now paying 26.6p more than they were on February 28 when fighting broke out, with prices rising around 0.01p per day.The previous highest rate for petrol drivers came on April 15, when the average price at the pump would have set motorists back 158.31p per litre. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say However, diesel drivers are experiencing slightly more joy at the pumps, with average prices falling below 185p per litre since the previous peak in mid-April.Motorists heading to the petrol station can expect to pay 184.96p per litre, while further savings could be around the corner as prices fall 0.08p daily.Despite this, prices are still around 30 per cent higher than the start of the war, with 42.6p being added to the average litre.The latest data comes just days after the Government confirmed that it would be extending the freeze on fuel duty to help drivers save at the pump.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed that the Government would extend the 5p per litre cut to fuel duty for the rest of the year.Previous plans would have seen the 5p cut, which was introduced after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, slowly chipped away over the coming months.It would have involved a rollback of 1p in September, 2p in December, and a further 2p next March, at which point the Government could hike rates in line with inflation.Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: I'm keeping taxes down for drivers and businesses - putting money in the pockets of millions of workers and cutting costs for farmers and hauliers. LATEST DEVELOPMENTSCalls grow for new Motability changes amid outcry against Chinese cars 'flooding our market'Car finance payout chaos could see 1.1 million drivers risk losing out on compensationFerrari unveils first electric car with 329-mile battery range and huge £475,000 price tagThe war in Iran is pushing up fuel prices here at home, but after strong growth at the beginning of the year, I am stepping in to protect people at the pump.The decision to protect motorists at the pump was supported by many experts, especially after weeks of soaring costs and uncertainty around oil prices.Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, added: The big question is now: what will happen next year and will drivers be hit with the full 5p in one go in the spring, will a new phasing be agreed, or will the Government even abandon an increase altogether?GB News has rounded up the most expensive petrol and diesel prices across the UK over the bank holiday weekend, according to the latest data from the Government's Fuel Finder scheme.Most expensive petrol pricesCentral Convenience, Sherborne, Dorset (DT9 5AU) - 191.9pClifton Filling Station, Shefford, Bedfordshire (SG17 5RP) - 189.9pShell Magna, Swadlincote, Derbyshire (DE12 7AP) - 186.9pShell Hapsford MWSA, Hapsford, Cheshire (CH2 4QZ) - 185.9pShell Taunton Deane South, Taunton, Somerset (TA3 7PF) - 184.9pMost expensive diesel pricesClacket Lane East and West Connect MWSA, Westerham, Kent (TN16 2ER) - 198.9pAsda Scotch Corner Express Petrol, Richmond, North Yorkshire (DL10 6NT) - 198.9pShell Taunton Deane North and South, Taunton, Somerset (TA3 7PF) - 197.9pShell Chesterfield North and South, Tibshelf, Derbyshire (DE55 5TZ) - 197.9pShell Sedgemoor South, Axbridge, Somerset (BS26 2UF) - 197.9p Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter