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Do you want to know What the British Pay?

According to the The Automobile Association today's average price for petrol is 112.6 p/litre. Using the a conversion of ($1 AUD = £0.487316 GBP), that calculates to the British paying $2.31 per litre of unleaded petrol.

Oil prices surged nearly $US5 to a record near $US134 ($139) a barrel after a US government report showed a surprise drop in crude stockpiles, reinvigorating fears of a supply crunch. Melbourne motorists were being charged 162.9 cents a litre at about 100 service stations yesterday before the price sank back below 160 cents. US crude settled up $US4.19 at $US133.17 a barrel after hitting a fresh peak of $US133.72. London Brent rose $US4.86 to $US132.70. Overseas price moves typically take several weeks to flow into changes at Australia's petrol pumps. US Energy Secretary Sam Bodman said the government could do nothing to ease the pain of soaring fuel prices for consumers heading into the summer vacation season, when road travel typically peaks. "We have flat (oil) production ... and increasing demand," Bodman said. "I don't think anything can be done near term."

Crude prices have risen sixfold since 2002 -- hurting consumers and businesses and contributing to a rapid increase in food prices -- as rising demand from China and other developing countries outpaces new supply. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has blamed oil's rally on speculation and the weak US dollar and has repeatedly rebuffed calls from consumer nations for more supply. OPEC's biggest producer, Saudi Arabia, said last week it has raised production by 300,000 barrels, but only to offset production problems from other members of the cartel.

Sydney motorists have no respite from rocketing petrol prices today, with yesterday's record highs maintained and the average price up more than 10 cents. The price of crude oil has continued to rise - reaching $US134 a barrel in Asian trade this morning - prompting a warning from some motoring groups that drivers could face even higher prices in the future.

In recent days unleaded petrol has pushed through the $1.60 mark in some capital cities, while diesel has hit $1.80 a litre. In Sydney, the highest price for unleaded petrol was 162.9 cents, the same as yesterday, but the average had leapt from 147.5 to 157.6 cents. The cheapest bowser price of 141.9 cents was three cents above yesterday's minimum. A spokesman for the NRMA said prices should fall after today, as Thursday's prices were traditionally the highest of the weekly cycle. But he warned motorists not to expect long-term falls, with some economists predicting a price of $2 in the future.