THE price of petrol has leapt across the area and nationally, says the AA.

The motoring organisation also found that motorists in the South West pay more than almost anywhere else in the UK for their petrol.

On May 11 the price of unleaded at Castle Lane’s Spar BP Petrol station was 101.9p and 109.9p for diesel but by May 17 it had jumped to 104.9p for unleaded and 112.9p for diesel.

Average UK petrol prices have risen to 97.68p a litre and many motorway service stations and those in rural areas are charging up to £1 a litre for petrol, the AA’s May Fuel Price report shows.

The AA found the most expensive average price for petrol in the UK was in Northern Ireland at 98.1p a litre, closely followed by Wales and the South West at an average of 98.0p.

According to free fuel price comparison website petrolprices.com, the highest price in Bournemouth for unleaded was 102.9p a litre and 109.9p for diesel.

Bournemouth’s average price was 98p for unleaded and 103.1p for diesel and the cheapest at 94.9p a litre and 99.9p for diesel.

Other cheap petrol stations in Bourne-mouth were Tesco Poole 4 Branksome selling unleaded at 94.9p; Sainsbury’s Talbot Heath, Poole (94.9p); and Shell East Howe, Bournemouth, (94.9p).

Louise Doherty, petrolprices.com spokeswoman, said prices had gone up because of the 2p per litre duty rise on April 1 and rising oil prices and that prices were going to keep rising in the short term.

Motorists in Bournemouth remained philosophical about the prices.

IT manager Kev Linney, 32, from Talbot Village, said: “As long as diesel remains under a pound, it’s okay.

“It was around £1.30 not so long ago, so it’s much better.”

David Hurn, 25, a director from Talbot Woods, said: “You just have to pay for it and get on with it. You need to drive.”

Student David McCaughan, 20, from Winton, said: “Last time I filled up it hadn’t reached the magic £1 mark.

“When it reaches that, I do start to think about whether I really need to be using my car as much.

“In these economic times, maybe the government could drop taxes on petrol, and put it on other things such as tobacco or alcohol.”