Oil companies yesterday defied a plea from the Automobile Association to absorb a Government fuel tax rise of 2c a litre, passing it straight to motorists instead.
The four big suppliers raised their main-centre price for 91-octane petrol to 212.9c a litre, although diesel stayed unchanged as drivers of diesel vehicles will pay separately for an equivalent increase to road user charges.
Only industry minnow Gull swallowed the extra tax, keeping its price 7c lower than the market norm, although it will review its position this morning.
Yesterday's general increase followed a 3c rise less than a week ago, which the AA's PetrolWatch division believes is not justified by international commodity prices.
Spokesman Mark Stockdale said the AA was "really very disappointed" the main players had raised their prices again "when if not for the tax increase we would have expected to see a price reduction". He said diesel prices stayed down last week because there had been no import rises for that fuel, just as there had been no increases for petrol.
