Diesel Has Passed £2 a Litre. Saving Fuel Has Never Mattered More.

October 7, 2026 News

On 2 October the RAC reported that the average price of diesel in the UK had reached 200.01p a litre. It is the first time diesel has cost more than £2 a litre, and it beats the previous record of 199.09p, set in June 2022.

We cannot control the price of diesel, but we can control how much of it we use. Two weeks ago, when diesel was close to its record, we explained how we do that. Now that it has passed £2, every one of those steps matters more than ever.

Why diesel has risen

At the end of February, diesel cost 142.38p a litre. It now costs almost 58p a litre more, a rise of about 40% in seven months. The RAC links the rise to the conflict between the US and Iran, which began at the end of February and has disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. It has warned that prices could rise further.

Fuel duty will add to this. It is currently 52.95p a litre, and the government has frozen it until the end of 2026. On 1 January 2027 it will rise by 3p a litre, the first increase since 2011, and the rest of the temporary 5p cut is due to be removed by 1 March 2027.

Why every mile matters more now

For a van that does 30 miles to the gallon, fuel now costs about 30p a mile. At the end of February it cost about 22p a mile. So every mile saved is now worth about 40% more than it was in February.

You can work out the fuel cost of your own routes with our journey cost calculator.

What we are doing to use less fuel

Coaching our drivers. Our tracking system shows harsh acceleration, harsh braking, speed and idling alongside fuel use. We use it to coach drivers, not to catch them out. Smooth driving uses less fuel.
Measuring fuel use. Our FORS Silver accreditation requires us to record fuel use, set targets and keep improving. Catherine Forward, our FORS practitioner for fuel efficiency and low emissions, is responsible for this work.
Maintaining our vans. Our own workshop keeps the fleet maintained. Tyre pressures, servicing and our seasonal checks all affect how much diesel each mile needs.
Planning the miles. Our work ranges from long motorway runs to deliveries across London, and each needs a different plan. We match the right vehicle to each job.
Trialling electric. We are trialling a fully electric van. On the jobs it can do, its running costs are not tied to the price of diesel.

How you can help

Every mile we do not drive saves fuel. These steps help us cut wasted miles:

Book ahead where you can. It gives us more options when planning a route.
Tell us about every drop when you book. One van making several drops uses less fuel than several vans making one drop each.
Give us accurate load details. We can then send the right size of vehicle for the job.
Make sure someone can receive the goods. If a delivery cannot be completed, the van makes the journey twice. Give us the site contact, the opening times and any booking reference.
Tell us about any goods coming back. If we know about a return load when you book, we can plan both journeys together.
Allow flexible delivery times where you can. It helps us avoid the most congested times of day.

Talk to us early

Whether you need a same-day courier for one urgent job or regular contract deliveries, talk to us early about your plans. We can look at how your deliveries are planned and where miles can be saved.

Our control team takes new enquiries Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm, on 01227 773030. You can also email control@invictacouriers.com.

If you have something that needs moving, tell us what and where — our transport team will come back to you with a price.

Get a quote or call 01227 773030

What Our Customers Say

Kerry you are as always amazing! Thank you and your team so much!

If you want testimonials please come to me as you have always been fantastic to work with and so reliable, so thank you.

Anna Taylor

Bakkavor Group is a leading international food manufacturing company specialising in freshly prepared foods and produce.

The company have five core values that underpin the way we do business, one of which is, customer care: We are committed to supplying outstanding service, quality and value, never forgetting that our relationship with our customers is pivotal to our success.

Invicta Couriers have helped us to achieve this in conjunction with our team at Tilmanstone. They provide transport solutions for the effective distribution of samples to our customers and internal buying teams. On many occasions that has been at short notice and often outside traditional working hours.

We have been working with Invicta’s for a number of years now and would consider their flexible approach and professional manner a credit to their management team.

It is on this basis that I would not hesitate to recommend their services to any business.

Alan Tingey

I confirm that I have dealt with Invicta Couriers since 2004, during which time they have provided our company with excellent support in transporting our water samples from our offices in Folkestone to our laboratories in Watford and Staines.

One of the reasons we initially approached Invicta was due to the fact that they could offer temperature controlled vehicles with constant monitoring, to ensure that our strict guidelines are adhered to.

One of the reasons we have remained with Invicta is based in the good working relationship and trust that has developed. The nature of our business means that we can require sample transportation during unsociable hours and very often, at very short notice. I’m delighted to say that Invicta Couriers have always been able to accommodate our needs.

I can confidently recommend Invicta Couriers as providers of a flexible and reliable service.

Stephanie Collins