Fuel prices in Worksop have risen sharply in recent weeks, with the average litre of unleaded now costing 160.9p and diesel reaching 192.4p across 22 local stations - well above where they stood at the start of the year.

What Worksop Drivers Are Paying

The cheapest unleaded in the area is currently 154.7p per litre at Asda East Retford, while the cheapest diesel is 185.9p at Gateford Services on Gateford Road. However, prices vary dramatically - there is a 30.2p spread between the cheapest and most expensive unleaded within eight miles of the town centre.

Supermarket forecourts are averaging 156.4p for unleaded, compared to 164.7p at independent stations - a saving of more than 8p per litre, or roughly £4 on a 50-litre fill-up.

A full comparison of live prices at all 22 local stations is available on our Worksop Fuel Prices page, updated every 15 minutes from official Government data.

Why Are Prices So High?

The primary driver is the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Since US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran began on 28 February, Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - a chokepoint through which roughly 20 per cent of the world's oil supply passes.

Brent crude oil surged from $72.48 per barrel before the conflict to a peak of $126 in mid-March. A fragile ceasefire announced on 7 April brought prices back below $101, but the outlook remains volatile.

Nationally, unleaded has risen 25p per litre since the conflict began - an increase of 19 per cent. Diesel has been hit harder, climbing 48p per litre (34 per cent), and is now just 9p away from the all-time UK record of 199.09p set in June 2022.

The Tax Burden

Almost half of what drivers pay at the pump goes to the Treasury. Fuel duty currently stands at 52.95p per litre - a rate that includes a temporary 5p cut introduced in March 2022 and extended through to August 2026.

VAT at 20 per cent is then applied on top of both the product cost and the duty, meaning drivers effectively pay tax on a tax. On a litre of unleaded at 158p, approximately 76p goes to the Government.

Further fuel duty increases are planned from September, adding 1p per litre initially, with a further 2p in December and another 2p in March 2027.

Supply Chain Pressures

Beyond the Strait of Hormuz, analysts are watching the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. Houthi forces have paused attacks on commercial shipping since the war began but are reportedly holding the capability in reserve as leverage.

OPEC+ had agreed to increase output by 206,000 barrels per day from April, but the Hormuz closure has made those quotas largely academic as exports from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Iraq remain restricted.

What Drivers Can Do

With prices unlikely to fall significantly in the short term, drivers can save money by comparing forecourt prices before filling up. Supermarkets consistently offer the cheapest fuel locally, while the gap between the cheapest and most expensive stations in Worksop could cost drivers over £15 on a single tank.

Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, said drivers "should not expect significantly cheaper fuel in the short term" but noted that independent forecourts buying on a spot basis "may be quicker to pass on any reductions" if crude prices continue to ease.

Check our live fuel prices page for the latest prices at every station near Worksop, updated automatically from the UK Government Fuel Finder API.