Many of us have to drive to get to work, take kids to school, and simply get around, but doing so isn’t cheap.
Buying fuel on the motorway is always more expensive than filling up at your local supermarket, but a new analysis has named the 40 specific petrol stations across Britain charging the highest rates per litre. The data highlights a significant price gap between these premium highway forecourts and standard high street garages, largely down to the higher costs of operating 24/7 services right off the main roads.
With fuel prices remaining a major factor in the cost of running a car, here’s a definitive list of which service stations are currently charging the highest premiums, so drivers can plan their stops and budgets accordingly.
Why are fuel prices falling right now?
Global oil prices dropped this week, pushing the average price of petrol down to its lowest level since early April. Since oil is traded globally, a fall in crude prices quickly feeds through into cheaper wholesale petrol and diesel for forecourts across the country.
The trigger behind this drop was an agreement between the US and Iran aimed at ending conflict in the Middle East, which also paved the way for the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane to reopen after months of disruption. That said, the situation remains shaky, with Iran shutting the strait again just today, adding fresh uncertainty to how long this relief might last.
How much have prices actually dropped?
According to the RAC, the average price of a litre of petrol has fallen from a peak of 159.53p on 28 May down to 154.45p today. Diesel currently sits at an average of 173.76p a litre, also down from recent highs. The RAC believes petrol could drop below 150p a litre within the next week or so, with diesel potentially falling under 170p around the same time, assuming the current trend continues without major disruption.
Some forecourts are still charging far more than average.
Despite the overall drop in prices, plenty of individual petrol stations are still charging significantly more than the national average. The most expensive place to fill up in Great Britain right now is the Welcome Break Truckstop in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, charging 197.9p a litre for petrol.
Among the major supermarkets, Asda and Sainsbury’s are currently charging the most for petrol, both averaging 151.1p a litre, while Morrisons has the highest average diesel price at 169.5p a litre.
The priciest supermarket petrol station is a shocker.
Even within supermarket chains, prices can vary wildly depending on location and site type. The most expensive supermarket petrol station in the country right now is the Asda Bothwell Express in Scotland, charging 191.9p a litre, far higher than Asda’s typical supermarket pricing. This is because Asda Express sites work differently to standard Asda supermarket forecourts, which is something the company has been keen to clarify amid concerns over pricing.
Why some Asda stations cost more
An Asda spokesperson explained that all the Asda stations appearing on this list are Express sites, which sell branded fuel such as Esso, Shell, or BP rather than Asda’s own fuel. This branded fuel carries a premium and runs under a completely different cost structure compared with Asda’s main supermarket forecourts.
The spokesperson added that Asda’s standard supermarket sites remain the cheapest place for UK motorists to fill up, with all 321 of these forecourts setting the benchmark for the brand’s value pricing, while the smaller Express convenience sites operate in different locations with higher running costs.
What experts are saying about the price drop
Scott Benson, from Fuel Finder, explained that pump prices are finally heading in the right direction, with diesel seeing the sharpest correction following an unusually steep spike earlier in spring. Even so, he was careful to frame this as relief rather than genuinely cheap fuel.
Benson pointed out that petrol and diesel remain dramatically higher than they were a year ago, meaning drivers are still paying a hefty premium even as pressure on wholesale prices begins to ease. It’s worth keeping that context in mind before assuming prices have returned to anything close to normal.
Tesco has already started cutting prices.
Tesco has already taken action in response to falling wholesale costs, cutting the price of diesel by 5p a litre and unleaded petrol by 2p a litre across all 500 of its UK filling stations. This kind of move could put pressure on other major retailers to follow suit in the coming days. If more supermarkets and chains start passing on these savings, average prices at the pump could fall more quickly than current RAC predictions suggest.
Britain’s full list of priciest petrol stations
Below is the complete list of the UK’s most expensive petrol stations right now, compiled by Fuel Finder and accurate as of Friday 20 June.
Welcome Break South Mimms Truckstop, EN6 3NE – 197.9p
Welcome Break Rothwell, NN14 6AA – 197.9p
Welcome Break Rotherham Truckstop, S60 4EQ – 197.9p
Asda Bothwell Express Petrol, G71 8BG – 191.9p
D C Ryan, PH36 4HZ – 191.0p
Cuxton Auto Services, ME2 1LH – 190.9p
Asda Hamilton Express Petrol, ML3 6JW – 190.4p
Asda Strensham Express Petrol, WR8 0BZ – 190.4p
Asda Stafford South Express Petrol, ST15 0XE – 190.4p
Welcome Break Oxford, OX33 1LJ – 189.9p
Asda Tamworth Express Petrol, B77 5PS – 189.9p
Upton Noble Garage Ltd, BA4 6AR – 189.9p
Asda Pont Abraham Express Petrol, SA4 0FU – 188.9p
Rothersthorpe Northconnectmwsa, NN4 9QS – 188.4p
Watford Gap South Connect Mwsa, NN6 7UZ – 188.4p
Welcome Break Keele South, ST5 5HG – 188.4p
Britain’s full list of priciest petrol stations continued…
Annandale Water Sfconnect Mwsa, DG11 1HD – 188.4p
Stafford Connect Mwsa, ST15 0EU – 188.4p
Welcome Break Woodall South Forecourt, S26 7XR – 188.4p
Welcome Break Membury East, RG17 7TZ – 188.4p
Welcome Break Rotherham Forecourt, S60 4EQ – 188.4p
Watford Gap North Connect Mwsa, NN6 7UZ – 188.4p
Welcome Break Corley North, CV7 8NR – 188.4p
Reading East Connect Mwsa, RG30 3UQ – 188.4p
Welcome Break Gordano, BS20 7XG – 188.4p
Welcome Break Woodall North Forecourt, S26 7XR – 188.4p
Welcome Break Charnock Richard South, PR7 5LR – 188.4p
Winchester North Connect Mwsa, SO21 1PP – 188.4p
Welcome Break Keele North, ST5 5HG – 188.4p
Welcome Break Fleet North, GU51 1AA – 188.4p
Michaelwood South Connect Mwsa, GL11 6DD – 188.4p
Welcome Break Sedgemoor, BS24 0JL – 188.4p
Welcome Break London Gateway, NW7 3HU – 188.4p
Norton Canes Connect Mwsa, WS11 9UX – 188.4p
Rothersthorpe Southconnectmwsa, NN4 9QS – 188.4p
Welcome Break Abington, ML12 6RG – 188.4p
Welcome Break Hopwood Park, B48 7AU – 188.4p
Welcome Break Hartshead West Forecourt, HD6 4JX – 188.4p
Rownhams East Mwsa, SO16 8AP – 188.4p
Welcome Break Charnock Richard North, PR7 5LR – 188.4p
What this means for drivers
If your usual petrol station happens to be on this list, it could genuinely be worth shopping around before your next fill-up. Even a difference of 20 or 30 pence a litre adds up quickly over a full tank, and even more so over a year of regular driving.
With wholesale prices continuing to fall and more retailers like Tesco already cutting costs, it’s worth keeping an eye on prices over the coming weeks, since the gap between the cheapest and most expensive forecourts in the UK currently looks bigger than it has in some time.
