UK drivers urged to fill up petrol and diesel before 5pm tomorrow

Motorists across the country, including Oxfordshire, are being encouraged to top up before tomorrow evening as fuel costs are expected to shift.

This comes in the wake of falling oil prices, triggered by the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a temporary truce between the United States and Iran.

The two countries announced on Tuesday that they had agreed to a fortnight-long ceasefire, which includes restoring passage through the strategic waterway.

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This passage is part of a route that carries around a fifth of the world’s daily oil shipments.

News of the agreement sent international markets into retreat, with crude values sliding sharply.

The Strait of Hormuz has been closed since hostilities flared in late February, a disruption which sent petrol prices soaring worldwide.

According to experts, despite the immediate fall, it will take some time for drivers to feel the full benefit of the reopening at the pump, while many have predicted that for the prices to significantly drop will take around two weeks.

As prices often rise towards the end of the week, ensuring to restock before then will benefit your wallet, with 5pm on Thursday being the suggested cut-off time.

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William Fletcher, CEO of Car.co.uk, said: “Prices usually rise on Thursday evening and stay elevated through Sunday.

“If you can plan ahead and fill up mid-week instead, you’ll typically save 2-3 pence per litre, which adds up quickly over a year of driving.”

A statement from Scrap Car Comparison added: “When it comes to saving money on fuel, the advice is simple: fill up early in the week.

“We typically see prices rise towards the weekend, with Friday and Saturday being the most expensive days due to increased leisure travel.”

This comes after reports that Tesco in Banbury was out of fuel last week, while others said there was no diesel at several other petrol stations in Oxfordshire.

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These issues were widespread across the UK as drivers faced empty pumps at forecourts across Norfolk, as the price of petrol and diesel continues to rise.

The Eastern Daily Press reported that the disruption to supplies caused by the Iran conflict in the Middle East was having an impact on fuel.

Similarly, in North Yorkshire, there were also reports of fuel issues as well as in other places across the country.

This newspaper approached several supermarket brands to see how Oxfordshire stores’ petrol stations have been affected.

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Asda was one of those contacted, but the supermarket giant refused to comment on the situation at this time.

When approached, Morrisons informed this newspaper that MFG owns and operates all of the chain’s fuel stations.

MFG then refused to comment at this time when subsequently contacted.

Sainsbury’s issued a comment, which referred to the stores across the UK as a whole, informing drivers that sites would be resupplied if shortages occurred.

A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said: “We are actively monitoring stock levels in all locations and continuing to resupply sites where needed.”