HITCHIN: While the support for Ukraine is as strong as it has ever been following Russia waging its murderous war against its innocent neighbour, a knock-on effect has been a spike in fuel prices.

None more so than in our town, as demand for petrol and diesel starts to outstrip supply across Europe - prompting a sharp rise in what were already high forecourt prices.

Why has the price of petrol risen dramatically?

Quite simply, the cost of fuel has spiked because the wholesale price for crude oil which is used in manufacturing petrol and diesel has increased.

Russia's bloodthirsty invasion of Ukraine resulted in Western nations imposing economic and trading sanctions in a bid to topple dictator Vladimir Putin through cutting off his main source of income.

The cost of petrol at UK pumps has reached more than £1.60 a litre for the first time. In fact the average price for a litre of unleaded petrol has now hit £1.63.5, breaking records in the process.

Prior to the pandemic in early 2020 it was around £1 a litre.

Diesel, too, has hit a record £1.73.4 a litre, according to the latest UK forecourt figures, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to affect global oil prices.

Nub News spoke to Hitchin MP Bim Afolami about the situation.

Mr Afolami said: "The consequences of the war in Ukraine are only just beginning, but people are already feeling it in their petrol prices and energy prices.

"I am in extensive discussions with my colleagues here in parliament to see what government can do to help in both the short and medium term – because it doesn't look like this crisis is going away soon."

Hitchin prices are higher than national average

However, worryingly petrol and diesel prices in Hitchin are actually higher than the national average.

Hitchin Nub News visited four petrol stations in our town to gauge prices on Tuesday morning.

We found that the BP garage on Stevenage Road was the cheapest, charging drivers 163.9 pence for a litre of petrol. Which was still nearly half a pence more expensive than the national average.

Diesel was a whopping 178.9 - more than 5p above the national average.

We also visited the Esso Garage on Nightingale Road to find motorists being charged a staggering 167.9 pence per litre of petrol, while diesel was 179.9 per litre.

We took in the Shell garage on Bedford Road which was charging similar prices.

Our final stop was the BP garage on Bedford Road which was found also charging 167.9 pence per litre of petrol. However, diesel was a jaw dropping 181.9 pence per litre. Which also raised questions as to why it was charging nearly three pence more than its sister station half a mile away on the A505.

Brett Donnelly, boss of B&D Civil Engineers spoke to Hitchin Nub News about the cost of living crisis: "If you can afford to fill your motor up in Hitchin fair play to you!

"Hitchin was 10-12p more expensive on Saturday than it was anywhere else. It's a ridiculous situation."[.I]

No end in sight

There appears no end in sight to motorists misery.

Petrol could soar to £2.50 a litre, while diesel could even hit £3 - with fears the fuel could even be rationed, experts told MPs earlier this week, as they warned that Russia's invasion of Ukraine spells worsening pain for consumers.

In deposition to the select committee at the Treasury, top economics and energy boffins called on chancellor Rishi Sunak, to subsidise lower-income households to cope with the worrying hike in energy bills, as part of the wider cost of living crisis.

As our story underlines, prices at the pump have spiked substantially this year, amplified by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

However, the Treasury committee was told that prices could increase much further if geopolitical tensions keep oil prices high, with the cost of diesel in the UK, which gets 18% of it from Russia – potentially doubling

Mr Donnelly added with a large slice of irony at the high prices we all face: "I don't know if I could afford to take in a Ukrainian refugee, I can barely afford to heat and wash my own family," he concluded with a wry take on the worsening situation regarding the rising cost of living.

Prices correct as of lunchtime, Tuesday, March 15

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