ANOTHER round of fuel price hikes could be on the way after a year of overall stability on the forecourt.

That was the warning today from motoring organisations after fuel prices started increasing – and according to national data East Anglia is one of the most expensive places in Britain for petrol and diesel.

The plunging pound and stock market speculators are driving up the cost of petrol, according to the AA.

After surging 5p a litre over a month, the price of fuel at the pumps has gone up a further 1p in the last five days, the AA said.

It revealed that the average cost of petrol in the UK is now 138.32p a litre, with diesel having risen 4.78p from its mid-January price to stand at an average of 145.10p. The figures are very similar to those the AA reported in its March 2012 fuel report.

East Anglia has the highest average price of diesel in the country – 145.2p a litre – although by shopping around it is possible to find it cheaper than that.

Within Suffolk there are clear differences between prices in Ipswich and rural areas.

According to price check website www.petrolprices.com, unleaded petrol can be bought for 134.7p and diesel for 141.7p a litre in Ipswich. In Framlingham, petrol costs 139.9p and diesel 146.9p a litre.

Prices in north Essex were similar to those over the border – Colchester’s cheapest petrol was 136.9p a litre while the cheapest diesel is 142.7p a litre and in Harwich prices are about 1p a litre higher.

AA president Edmund King said: “This latest surge in fuel prices and its impact on spending indicates that UK drivers and families can’t take any more.”

Suffolk county council’s cabinet member for economic development Judy Terry said the price of fuel remained a major concern in the county – and had featured in its recent agricultural matters conference.

She said: “This is not a high-wage county, and we would like to see the oil companies understand how much people rely on their vehicles.”

The county was concerned about the loss of rural fuel stations which were often vital to the local community.

She said: “In some villages the garage is also the shop and is as vital to the community as the shop, the church, or the local school.”

Mrs Terry said the county was looking at whether small service stations could get together to buy fuel in bulk to match the prices offered by supermarkets in towns.