UK petrol and diesel each rose about 5p a litre in a week, adding fresh margin pressure for high-mileage taxi and private hire drivers.
Reporting cites RAC figures: unleaded to 167.17p and diesel to 188.63p as wholesale oil averaged about $96 a barrel. A 50-litre diesel fill at the average costs roughly £94; 5p/litre adds £2.50 per tank for drivers who refill several times a week. Rod Dennis said drivers dig deeper with no relief in sight, and that fuel duty is due to rise from January — arguing for a freeze. Hackney tariffs are council-set and PHV prices operator- or app-set, so sudden fuel spikes are hard to recover immediately alongside finance, insurance and licensing costs.