Shropshire motorists hit by high petrol prices

And diesel is up 6.5p since the start of January, to 146.38p a litre. There has been some respite at the pumps this week as supermarkets have cut prices.

And Chancellor George Osborne is expected to scrap autumn's planned fuel duty rise of around 3p a litre in next week's Budget.

However independent traders in the county said today they could not compete with supermarkets, which announced price cuts of between 2p and 4p a litre on Wednesday.

Despite those cuts, the average price of petrol would already have soared to record levels this year had Mr Osborne not axed a 3p duty rise planned for January.

The price of fuel at the BP service station on Battlefield Island, Shrewsbury, was 138p a litre for petrol and 145p for diesel.

Manager Marcus Burnley-Lowe said: "The supermarkets all have deals with the oil companies and they get lower prices.

"Some customers feel we are ripping them off but there is no money in fuel.

"Forecourts hardly make any profit, most of the money goes back to the Government in tax."

Many fuel outlets in south Shropshire are selling at prices above the national average.

Customers were paying 141.9p a litre for petrol and 147.9p for diesel at Harry Tuffins in Foldgate Lane, Ludlow. At Newington Garage Services in Shrewsbury Road, Craven Arms, petrol was 141.9p and diesel was 146.9p.

Elsewhere in the county, motorists could fill up for less.

At the Shell garage in Cheshire Street, Market Drayton, petrol was 137.9p per litre and diesel was 144.9p per litre.

The Shell garage on Oswestry's Salop Road and the Esso garage at Mile End roundabout were both charging the same prices, asking for 138.9p for petrol and 144.9p for diesel.

And Telford motorists were paying below the national average. Prices at Trench Lock 24/7 garage were 137.0p for petrol and 142.9p for diesel, while at BP Parkway Service prices in Madeley were 139.9p for petrol and diesel was 145.9p.