‘There may be issues at a local level’

Compared to March last year, prices at the six garages the Reporter Series has been tracking are now slightly lower.

But drivers are still paying as much as 13p more for a litre of diesel than they were in 2011.

Recent increases led the Office of Fair Trading to carry out a study of the fuel sector which found that the rises were caused by the rising price of crude oil.

It found little evidence to show that prices are quick to rise and slow to fall as crude oil prices fluctuate and claimed that drivers on the continent pay more for fuel before tax.

OFT chief executive Clive Maxwell said: “We recognise that there has been widespread mistrust in how this market is operating. However, our analysis suggests that competition is working well... There may be some issues at a local level.”

The six petrol stations listed on the right are all selling fuel cheaper than in March last year, but all are more expensive than they were two years ago.