Diesel has topped £2 a litre at some Northern Ireland forecourts, prompting drivers to cut journeys, change cars or shop around. The NI Consumer Council says a 40-litre fill-up now costs £16 more for petrol and £21 more for diesel than at February’s end.
The council linked rising wholesale fuel prices to disruption around key shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, amid the Middle East conflict. Its transport policy chief said oil prices had stayed above $100 and short-term relief was unlikely unless they fell significantly and stabilized. The council says 71% of Northern Ireland consumers rely on cars as their main transport mode; it urged people to compare forecourts, where prices can differ by up to 20p a litre, and consider public transport.
Separately, RTÉ reported that the Irish Road Haulage Association had not ruled out further fuel protests after meeting Tánaiste and Finance Minister Simon Harris in Dublin on Tuesday to discuss possible fuel supports in October’s Budget. Protests over petrol and diesel prices took place in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in April 2026.