Diesel prices have risen above £2 a litre at at least 226 forecourts across Scotland, according to analysis by BBC Scotland News.
The highest prices are concentrated in some island and rural areas. The BBC found examples of 238.8p and 223p per litre in the Hebrides, while some Northern Isles sites were charging about 209p. In parts of rural Scotland, diesel can cost around 50p more per litre than at supermarkets in the central belt.
Hauliers face sharply higher operating costs
The Road Haulage Association said higher diesel prices are adding roughly £250 a week per vehicle for operators.
Individual firms are reporting similar pressure. Sinclair Haulage in Orkney told the BBC it was spending about £400 more each week on diesel than before the summer and had introduced a temporary fuel surcharge for customers.
Farm groups are also watching the increase closely. National Farmers’ Union Scotland said fuel is a significant input cost and that higher prices feed directly into the cost of producing food, particularly during fuel-intensive seasonal work.
UK diesel is nearing a record average
The RAC said the UK average diesel price was close to its previous record of 198.32p a litre and expected that level to be surpassed over the weekend.
At 198.32p a litre, filling a 55-litre family car would cost about £109. The motoring group also said diesel prices had risen 14.5p during September.
The Scottish figures underline how national averages can conceal much larger differences for rural communities and businesses that depend heavily on road transport.
