UK petrol at near three-year high as crude stays elevated

UK petrol averaged 161.6p a litre in late August 2026, the AA reports — the highest since November 2022, when Russia's invasion of Ukraine roiled energy markets. Diesel hit 183.4p. Brent crude sits at $89.63 a barrel, up from roughly $72 before the Iran conflict. The RAC forecasts record bank-holiday traffic, with 4.1 million cars on Friday alone.