'We must keep going' says charity hit by fuel prices

Businesses and charities are being hit by spiralling fuel prices caused by the Iran war.

Last week, diesel prices reached an all-time high and are now about £2 a litre after rising more than 40% since the end of February, with petrol prices climbing nearly 34% in that period.

BBC analysis has identified the most expensive fuel stations across the West, as prices vary across more urban and rural areas.

Alex Wood, from charity Freewheelers which delivers medical supplies, said it has had to dip into reserves to keep afloat. Somerset-based Berry's Coaches has called on the government to freeze fuel duty next year after their fuel costs increased by half since the Middle East conflict began.

Petrol prices have increased by 8% to 174.8p per litre in the past month, while diesel has risen by 9% to 200.1p per litre.

But in the seven months since the US-Israel conflict with Iran erupted, the jump is even bigger - a nearly 34% increase for petrol and more than 40% for diesel.

In real terms, this is an extra 42.5p per litre of petrol and 59p per litre of diesel.

There is variation between different stations in the West too - sometimes as much as 11p per litre for petrol - even if you discount motorway service stations that typically charge a premium.

Alex Wood from the Yeovil branch of Freewheelers, which delivers blood samples and other medical supplies by motorbike, said the impact has been "huge".

"This year since January, it's gone up 20% so it's quite a big increase across our operational costs. It's so unpredictable too."

The charity is now having to dip into its reserves to keep afloat.

"We're having to do a lot more fundraising so that we can keep operating," Wood said.

"We just have to keep going as best we can, we have to keep plodding on."

A taxi company based in Stroud in Gloucestershire previously told the BBC the current situation was a "complete nightmare" as it faced "continual pressure to lowball" its prices to stay afloat.

Berry's Coaches, which runs five services from the South West to London every day, said its costs have risen by £750,000 this year due to climbing fuel prices.

Berry said it has had "a big impact", but he was confident the company could "weather the storm" as it had done before in its 100-year history.

"We've absorbed a lot of that cost ourselves but unfortunately we've had to apply fuel surcharges across a number of our services - a £2 surcharge on each leg of the journey to London," he said.

"The government have delayed the rise in fuel duty but relatively that's quite a small impact - it will go up by 5p at some point by 2027.

"Really what we would like to see if further fuel duty cuts. That would be a huge benefit from the industry."

Chancellor John Healey said he was "very conscious" of people being hit by spiralling fuel prices caused by international factors.

He said he was "glad" to have frozen fuel duty until the end of the year and brought 'fuel finder' apps to help people find the cheapest petrol stations.

"I'm very aware as I prepare the budget - I'll deliver it a month today - that this needs to be a breathing space budget, recognising the cost of living and the cost of business pressures," he said at the Labour Party Conference.

The BBC has found the most expensive petrol stations by doing an analysis of local prices using Fuel Finder UK, which presents prices from individual stations that are fed into a government dataset.

Excluding petrol stations at motorway services or right next to motorway junctions, which are often much more expensive than average, there is still some variation from place to place.

Some towns like Clevedon, Portishead and Weston-super-Mare are consistently more expensive than other towns and cities in the region.

Inside Bristol

• 176.9p – EG, Gloucester Road and Texaco, High Street, Shirehampton
• 175.9p – BP, Falcondale Road, Henbury, Esso, Henleaze, Esso, Gloucester Road, Esso, Hartcliffe Way, Esso, York Road, Bedminster and Sainsbury's, St Philips Causeway

Near Bristol

• 180.0p – Markham Filling Station, Easton-in-Gordano
• 179.9p – BP, Tickenham Road, Clevedon, and Pace, Lodgway Garage, Pill and Shell, Harbour Road, Portishead

Somerset

• 186.9p – Stanmoor Garage, Burrowsbridge, Bridgwater and Phillips Tyres, Castle Carey
• 181.9p – Shell, Horton Cross, Ilminster and Shell, Bournville Service Station, Weston-super-Mare
• 179.9p – Misterton Garage Ltd, Crewkerne, Bridgwater Self Serve, Bristol Road, Bridgwater, J Plimley & Son, Brean and BP, Trowbridge Road, Bath

Gloucestershire

• 179.9p – EG, High Street, Cinderford; Motorhouse, Mushet Industrial Park, Coleford; and Gulf, Parkway Garage, Ledbury
• 178.8p – Gulf, Steam Mills Road, Cinderford; Essar, Brierley, Drybrook; BP, Main Road, Lydney; Valero, High Field Road, Lydney; Gulf, Mitcheldean; and Texaco, the Homend, Ledbury

Wiltshire

• 185.9p – Esso, A303, Warminster
• 179.9p – BP, A303 Westbound, Weyhill and Shell, Shaw Road, Swindon
• 178.8p – BP - Malmesbury Road, Chippenham

Inside Bristol

• 202.9p – BP, St Andrews Road, Avonmouth; Texaco, High Street, Shirehampton; Esso, 410-422 Gloucester Road

Near Bristol

• 203.9p – Esso, Westerleigh Road, Yate; Esso, Old Church Road, Clevedon; BP, Tickenham Road, Clevedon; ASDA, Bath Road, Marksbury; BP, London Road, Wick

Somerset

• 208.9p – Shell, Bournville Service Station, Weston-super-Mare
• 205.9p – Central Convenience, Minehead; and Bason Bridge Garage, Highbridge
• 205.0p – Keenthorne Garage, Nether Stowey, Bridgwater

Gloucestershire

• 203.9p – BP, A417 Gloucester Road, Circencester; Texaco, A435 Roundabout, Teddington
• 202.9p – Esso, London Road, Fairford; Motorhouse Service Station, Coleford
• 202.7p – Gulf, New Road, Mitcheldean

Wiltshire

• 230.0p – Kinch Fuel Oils Ltd, Malmesbury
• 208.0p – F G Bond & Sons, Marshfield, Chippenham
• 207.9p – Shell, Shrivenham Road, Swindon; Shell, Rodbourne Road, Swindon; BP, Warminster Service Area, Warminster

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