Published Friday, 21 December 2012
Fuel is most expensive in NI. (© Getty)
Despite petrol prices falling slightly of late, drivers are paying even more than this time last year.
The dearest petrol in Northern Ireland is 133.1p on average while the most expensive diesel is 141.3p a litre.
Based on the whole of this year, UK prices for petrol averaged 136.40p a litre and for diesel averaged 142.48p.
This compares with last year's petrol average of 133.65p a litre and diesel average of 138.94p.
On average, UK drivers paid almost £1.50 more in 2012 to fill a tank at every garage visit compared to last year, with diesel tank-filling up £1.75, the AA said.
Back in 2009, the average price of a litre of petrol throughout the calendar year was 100.02p and diesel was 104.38p.
At the time, motorists were outraged at the price of fuel exceeding the £1-a-litre mark.
AA president Edmund King said that over the last year petrol prices have been 2.75p more expensive than the previous year.
"Supermarkets generally dictate the cost of fuel in towns, with other retailers setting theirs accordingly and creating a localised price jam.
"Petrol in towns with less competitive supermarkets is as much as 5p more expensive than neighbouring communities."