Motorway fuel prices: why petrol costs 19p a litre more

Filling up at a motorway service station costs a typical UK driver around 19.5p a litre more for petrol and 18p a litre more for diesel than the national average, according to FuelWise's figures from the government's Fuel Finder scheme this morning (31 October 2026). On a 55-litre tank, that is roughly £10 to £12 extra for the same fuel.

Prices elsewhere are drifting down: the UK average for E10 petrol fell 1.5p in the past week and diesel fell 0.5p. But the gap at the motorway has not gone away. This guide explains how big it is, why it exists, and how to avoid paying it.

How much more motorway fuel costs today

FuelWise tracks 148 motorway forecourts. Their average prices this morning, compared with supermarkets and other forecourts, were:

That puts the average motorway price:

• 19.5p a litre above the UK average for E10 petrol, and 21.7p above the supermarket average
• 18p a litre above the UK average for diesel, and 20.7p above the supermarket average

In money terms, a 55-litre fill of E10 at the average motorway price comes to about £105, against about £93 at the average supermarket price. For diesel it is about £119 on the motorway against about £108 at a supermarket.

The motorway average for standard diesel, 216.4p, is only about 1p below the UK average for premium diesel, 217.5p. In other words, on a motorway you pay close to premium-fuel prices for standard fuel.

Why motorway fuel is more expensive

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has looked at this directly. In its May 2026 road fuel monitoring report, it recalled that its 2023 market study found the motorway premium was due to weak competition, caused by the distance between motorway retailers, the concentration of motorway retailers, and poor visibility of prices.

Put simply: once you are on a motorway, the next services may be many miles away, they are often run by a small number of operators, and until recently you could not easily see the price before you pulled in. Drivers who are low on fuel have little choice.

Using Fuel Finder data, the CMA found the premium "remains". Between 11 March and 13 April 2026 the average gap between motorway and non-motorway retailers varied day to day and reached up to 26p a litre for petrol and up to 17p for diesel. The CMA said that for an average car with a 55-litre tank, that was a difference of just over £14 to fill with petrol and more than £9 with diesel.

More broadly, the CMA said the high motorway premium, along with high fuel margins and local price variation, reflected "a lack of effective competitive pressure on retailers". In its June 2026 update it again found motorway service stations were the most expensive places to buy fuel and charged a substantial premium, while supermarkets remained the cheapest on average. Its most recent report, published on 18 August 2026, said further analysis would follow in the autumn.

One caveat from the CMA is worth knowing: it noted reports that Fuel Finder's motorway category may include some service stations on major trunk roads, not only motorways.

How Fuel Finder could narrow the gap

The Fuel Finder scheme requires forecourts to report their prices, which sites like FuelWise then publish. The CMA said retailers had been put on notice that it would begin enforcement from 1 May 2026 against firms that fail to register or to submit accurate prices.

The CMA's view is that, as more drivers use tools built on this data, there is potential to reduce local price variation and the higher price premium on motorways. It specifically said these tools would make it easier for drivers on longer journeys to avoid paying the motorway premium. The practical point is that you can now see motorway prices before you commit to stopping.

How to avoid the motorway premium

• Fill up before you join the motorway. The average supermarket forecourt is about 22p a litre cheaper than the average motorway forecourt for E10 petrol. Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco all average between 169.9p and 170.8p for E10 today. See the Tesco and Morrisons pages for local prices.
• Check the map before a long trip. The live price map shows every reporting forecourt, so you can plan a stop just off a junction rather than at the services.
• Buy only what you need. If you must stop at the services, putting in enough to reach a cheaper forecourt limits the cost of the premium.
• Watch for diesel in particular. With motorway diesel averaging 216.4p, the cost per tank is highest for diesel drivers.

What is happening to prices more widely

Pump prices in the UK have been easing. The UK average for E10 is 171.9p, down 1.5p in a week and 2.7p in 30 days. Diesel averages 198.4p, down 0.5p in a week and 1.7p in 30 days. Across the past seven days FuelWise recorded 10,357 price changes, of which 9,332 were cuts and 1,025 rises. Northern Ireland remains the cheapest part of the UK, with E10 averaging 164.4p and diesel 190.9p (see the Northern Ireland page).

The world oil market, though, has turned against drivers this week. On 28 October Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 2.7% to $112.39 a barrel after Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked a major Saudi Arabian refinery, the Associated Press reported. By the morning of 30 October Fortune reported Brent at $118.07 a barrel, up from $99.47 a month earlier and $64.69 a year earlier.

Crude oil is the raw material for petrol and diesel, so dearer crude raises the cost of the fuel UK forecourts buy. This week's rise is not yet visible in FuelWise's forecourt figures, which are still falling, and it is not possible to say from the data when or whether it will feed through.

On tax, Chancellor John Healey announced in the Budget that the 5p-a-litre fuel duty cut will be extended until July 2027, Carwow reported. Fuel duty has been 52.95p a litre since 2022, and the cut had previously been due to start reversing in stages from September 2026. Fuel duty is charged at the same rate per litre at every forecourt, so it does not explain the motorway gap.

The bottom line

Today's figures show the motorway premium is running at about 19.5p a litre for petrol and 18p for diesel against the UK average, and more than 20p against supermarkets. With crude oil climbing again this week, the cheapest way to protect yourself on a long journey is the simplest: fill up before you join the motorway, and check prices on the live map before you set off.