Fuel prices hit new highs as Government axes £1,500 electric car grant

Fuel prices hit new records as the Government scrapped £1,500 grants for purchases of new electric cars.

The average price of a litre of petrol at UK forecourts reached a new high of 185.4p on Monday, according to data firm Experian.

That is an increase of 6.9p in just a week.

The average price of diesel was a record 191.2p per litre on Monday.

The figures were released just hours after the Department for Transport (DfT) axed the Plug-in Car Grant.

Drivers could previously use the scheme to claim up to £1,500 towards the cost of a plug-in car costing less than £32,000.

The decision to kill off the grant for cars sparked an angry response from the automotive industry, but the DfT said it will "refocus" funding to encourage users of other vehicles to make the switch to electric.