UK petrol price hit fresh record on first day of rail strikes

The price of petrol in the UK soared to a fresh record on Tuesday, just as strikes by rail workers saw more people take to their cars.

The average cost of petrol rose to 189.33 pence a litre, pushing the cost of filling a 55-litre family car above £104 ($127.40), according to the RAC motoring organization. Diesel climbed to 197.11 pence a litre, also a new high.

While it now seems the current peak in petrol prices has been reached, diesel is on course to move closer to £2 a litre—although if oil continues to trade lower this may not become a reality, said RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams.