25th September 2026
Diesel prices are approaching £2 a litre across Caithness, with another increase possible next week. But is it worth filling your tank now?.
For drivers in Caithness, the question is becoming increasingly relevant.
Diesel prices have risen sharply in recent weeks and some local forecourts are already charging more than £2 a litre. In Wick, the latest reported prices range from around 197p to more than 209p a litre, while the UK average is now also approaching the £2 mark.
The RAC has warned that UK diesel prices could set a new record, with the previous record standing at 199.09p a litre in 2022.
That has led to the obvious question: should drivers fill up this weekend before prices rise again?
There is a case for filling up
If your tank is getting low and you know you will need fuel during the next week or two, filling up this weekend could save some money if forecourt prices rise again.
The difference does not have to be enormous to matter. A 50-litre fill at £1.99 a litre costs £99.50. If the price rises by 5p, the same amount of fuel would cost £102.
For someone who drives considerable distances, particularly in rural Caithness, those differences can accumulate over the course of a year.
There is also a reason to expect some further pressure on pump prices. Diesel supplies remain tight internationally and increases in wholesale costs can take time to work through to filling stations.
But there is no need to panic
That does not mean motorists should rush out and fill every available container.
If you have three-quarters of a tank already, there is little financial reason to make a special journey simply because prices might rise next week.
Even a 10p increase on 50 litres would amount to £5. For most motorists, that needs to be weighed against the cost of making an unnecessary trip to the filling station.
Nor is there any guarantee that prices will rise every day. Oil and wholesale fuel markets can move in both directions, while different filling stations adjust their prices at different speeds.
The sensible approach is therefore rather less dramatic.
If you need fuel soon, filling up this weekend may be worthwhile. If you don't, there is probably no need to change your normal routine.
Caithness has another problem
There is an additional issue for motorists in the far north.
Caithness has relatively few filling stations compared with more densely populated parts of Scotland. That means motorists have fewer opportunities to shop around, and differences of several pence a litre between local forecourts can become significant.
For someone travelling regularly between Wick, Thurso and more rural communities, saving 5p or 6p a litre can be more useful than it might appear.
At £2 a litre, every 50 litres costs £100.
That is a psychological barrier as much as a financial one. Diesel at £2 a litre means a 60-litre tank costs £120 to fill, while a 70-litre tank costs £140.
What should drivers do?
There is a simple rule that avoids both complacency and panic.
If your tank is getting low and you were going to fill up anyway, this weekend could be a reasonable time to do it.
But there is no need to stockpile fuel or make special journeys simply because another price increase is possible.
The bigger question is what happens over the next few weeks.
If diesel remains close to or above £2 a litre, the effects will extend beyond motorists. Haulage companies, farmers, tradespeople, taxis, delivery businesses and public services all depend heavily on diesel.
And ultimately some of those additional costs can find their way into the prices paid by consumers.
For Caithness, where distances are often unavoidable rather than optional, that makes the diesel price worth watching closely.
The £2-a-litre diesel threshold may be becoming less of a headline and more of a fact of everyday life.