By Emma Sword
A reduction in the European market cost of fuel is not being passed on to consumer in the UK, who are continuing to be hit by soaring prices at the pumps, the AA said.
While drivers in Europe have had some welcome relief, motorists in the UK are struggling to cover the cost of petrol and diesel along with other costs including car insurance and breakdown cover.
The average price of petrol has increased by 0.54p in the last few weeks to hit 128.81p a litre, while diesel has risen by 1.26p to 134.01p, the motoring organisation said.
It added that if a 2p drop in the market cost of petrol had been passed on to UK consumers, it would have wiped out most of the impact of the 2.5p VAT rise in early January 4.
The AA said European petrol prices did go down in line with a dip in north-west Europe wholesale costs of petrol.
It added that even with wholesale prices regaining value in February, the European average petrol pump price on February 7 was still 3% lower than three weeks before, while in the UK, petrol cost 0.8% more and reached new record highs.
Northern Ireland has the most expensive UK petrol (129.9p a litre) and diesel (135p).
Drivers in Yorkshire and Humberside once again enjoyed the cheapest prices, with petrol averaging 127.8p a litre and diesel 133.2p.
The AA said supermarket fuel prices varied by up to 4p a litre, with costs something of a "postcode lottery".
