Fuel prices in the UK have hit a new record high, with the average cost of petrol at ￡1.67 a litre and diesel ￡1.79 a litre.

       Motorists have been hit by rising costs at forecourts in recent weeks, which has led to warnings the country could go into a “de-facto lockdown” as a result.

       Prices have increased sharply since Russia invaded Ukraine, with global oil prices spiking.

       On Sunday, it rose once again to reach a new all-time high.

       Figures from data firm Experian Catalist showed the average cost of a litre of petrol at UK forecourts was 167p.

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       Meanwhile, the average cost of a litre of diesel was 179p.

       Luke Bosdet from the AA said: “Wholesale petrol and diesel costs started to fall away dramatically on 9 March, yet more than 10 days later prices at the pumps continue to set new records.”

       Rishi Sunak, the UK’s chancellor, is reportedly gearing up to slash fuel duty as motorists grapple with increasing costs at pumps.

       Simon Williams from the RAC said “the window for pump prices to come down appears to have been well and truly closed” as both oil prices and wholesale fuel costs were rising.

       “While there has been talk of a 5p cut in fuel duty, this may not be deep enough to make a real difference to drivers who are facing the highest ever costs to fill their tanks,” he said.

       Gordon Balmer from the Petrol Retailers Association, which represents independent forecourts, said “we don’t want to charge” record prices as “many of our members know their customers personally”.

       Asked if average prices could soon hit 200p per litre, he told Sky News that fluctuating wholesale costs mean pump prices “could go up to that level” but this was “very hard to predict” in current cirumstances.