Families and businesses across Oxfordshire are counting the cost of rising pump prices as motoring experts warn a litre of unleaded could hit a record high in a fortnight.

The average across the county of 116.6p is slightly above the national level and 25.9p more than a year ago.

A litre of diesel in Oxfordshire costs an average of 117p, 16p more than a year ago.

However the AA warns there could be worse to come, predicting the average cost of a litre of unleaded could hit a record high of £1.24 in early April.

The increase means it will cost an extra £3.70 to fill an average 50-litre (11-gallon) tank with petrol and beats the previous record high of 119.7p in July 2008.

The organisation is lobbying the Government, calling it to defer a planned 3p fuel duty rise for diesel and unleaded on April 1.

AA spokesman Luke Bosdet said: “Some families are being priced out of motoring and people are driving less because of the cost of fuel.

“People will feel the impact of these increases more than before the recession because a lot of people have had to endure pay freezes, are not getting any interest on their savings and are not as easily able to get credit as two years ago.”

When Gemma Barrett, 26, and her husband Jamie, 29, swapped their Vauxhall Vectra for a Ford Galaxy this year they switched to diesel to save cash.

The couple, from Lambourn Road, Rose Hill, need a car as their eldest son, Tyrell, has Asperger's syndrome and cannot cope with large crowds on public transport.

Mrs Barrett estimates that her family spends up to £90 less a month on fuel after switching to diesel.

She said: “The cost of driving is ridiculous though. It’s a necessity for most families so it should be affordable.”

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