Solihull drivers can now check fuel prices on Google Maps as petrol costs soar

Solihull drivers can now check the price of petrol and diesel on Google Maps before heading to the pump, as rising fuel costs put increasing pressure on household budgets.

Google has launched near real-time fuel prices across the UK, allowing motorists to search for nearby petrol stations and compare the cost of fuel before deciding where to fill up.

The new feature uses data from the Government's Fuel Finder service, which covers the vast majority of fuel sold on UK roads. Forecourts are required to submit price updates within 30 minutes of a change.

The news comes as Solihull diesel prices broke the £2 mark recently with the Government estimating that comparing prices could save households with a car around £40 a year.

Where is the cheapest fuel around Solihull?

Latest fuel-price data for the Solihull area shows that drivers could save money by shopping around.

The cheapest diesel recorded was 189.9p per litre at Truemansheath Service, around four miles from Solihull town centre.

For unleaded petrol, the two cheapest stations both come on the Alcester Road with both the same JET Millpool Service Station and Maypole Service Station recording prices of 170p per litre.

Closer to Solihull, prices varied considerably.

Sainsbury's Marshall Lake on Stratford Road was recording unleaded at around 173p a litre, while Asda Shirley Superstore was also around 173p.

Meanwhile, Shell Shirley Triangle was around 175p for unleaded and 199p for diesel.

Some Solihull forecourts are considerably more expensive

The difference becomes more noticeable at some of the area's independent and premium forecourts.

The latest data showed unleaded at 179p a litre at Falcon Service Stations Mereside, compared with 169.9p at the cheapest forecourts.

For diesel, A.C.O Motors in Earlswood was recording 209p a litre, making it one of the most expensive in the wider Solihull area in the latest data.

That is a difference of around 19p a litre compared with the cheapest diesel price of 189.9p.

For a 50-litre tank, that works out at roughly £9.50 more.

Prices can change throughout the day, however, so motorists should check Google Maps before travelling rather than relying on a previous price.

How to check fuel prices on Google Maps

Drivers can search for petrol stations or fuel stations in Google Maps and prices for petrol and diesel should now appear alongside nearby forecourts.

The feature is being introduced at a time when motorists are facing particularly high fuel costs.

Google says the prices are near real-time, while the Government's Fuel Finder system provides the underlying data.

For Solihull motorists, the change means it is now possible to compare several local stations before setting off – potentially avoiding a more expensive forecourt just a few minutes away.

With prices differing by around 20p a litre between some of the cheapest and most expensive options in the wider Solihull area, checking before filling up could make a noticeable difference over the course of a year.