Average petrol prices have fallen below 145p per litre for the first time in 18 months.

RAC analysis shows the average price of a litre of the fuel at UK forecourts has dropped to 144.95p.

Prices have not been that low since November 2021.

Diesel has also reached its cheapest average price since February last year at 154.31p per litre.

However, Canvey drivers claim they’re being “ripped off” by supermarkets as they are forced to pay 10p more per litre of diesel compared to Southend or Rayleigh drivers.

To help you save some pennies, here are the cheapest places to fill up your car in south Essex, according to petrolprices.com's fuel price map:

Unleaded prices

  1. Texaco Wickford (Threeways Service Station) - 139.9p
  2. Jet Rochford (Starthill Service Station) - 140.7p
  3. Tesco Southend Extra - 140.9p
  4. BP Rochford (Rochford Business Park) - 140.9p
  5. Sainsburys East Mayne - 140.9p

Diesel prices

  1. Tesco Southend Extra - 143.9p
  2. Sainsburys Rayleigh Weir - 144.9p
  3. Asda Shoebury Automat - 145.7p
  4. Jet Rochford (Starthill) - 145.7p
  5. BP The Fairway (Leigh) - 145.9p

'Petrol prices under 145p a litre is good news'

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “Seeing the price of unleaded fall back under 145p a litre for the first time in 18 months is good news for the country’s 19 million petrol car drivers.

“This means it’s now nearly £26 cheaper to fill up a family-sized petrol car this summer compared with last year.

“While it’s good news diesel has also dropped below 155p a litre, drivers of the UK’s 12 million diesel cars – and countless businesses who rely it to fuel their vehicles – should be paying 20p a litre less as its wholesale price is now 4p lower than petrol’s.”