Cost of filling up car surges by £2 in three weeks as Jeremy Hunt pressured to freeze fuel duty in Budget

THE cost of filling up a car has surged by £2 in just three weeks - piling pressure on Jeremy Hunt to keep fuel duty down at the Budget.

Data from the RAC shows petrol has jumped 3p a litre to 143.4p since January, while diesel has climbed by 4p to 152p.

Campaigners are calling for the Chancellor to freeze Fuel Duty for a 14th consecutive year while extending the 5p cut.

The rise in pump costs has been blamed on increased oil prices as well as the attacks by Houthi rebels forcing tankers to avoid the Red Sea route.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “News that fuel prices have bottomed out and are now on the rise again is bad news for drivers, and possibly the economy and future inflation rates, too.

“While we’re not expecting prices to shoot up dramatically, it appears that oil is trading up, which in the absence of a stronger pound, means wholesale fuel costs more for retailers to buy in.

"The result is higher prices at the pump and more expense for the every-day driver.”

Tens of thousands of drivers are backing The Sun’s Keep It Down campaign for Mr Hunt to freeze fuel duty at the March 6 Budget.