THE price of unleaded petrol is likely to go over the £1 a litre mark for the first time in Gwent in the next week, say garages.

At the Gulf petrol station on the A48 old Chepstow Road near Langstone, the price of a litre of unleaded petrol is already 99.9p.

Pump prices have risen steadily over the past month, mirroring a similar jump in crude oil prices on the global market.

And Gulf's Tony Bailey says the price is set to rise to more than £1 a litre soon. He said stations are being forced to increase the price because of crude oil price hikes. He said: "People think price rises are because we want to make a profit, it's not true. If oil prices increase we have to charge more."

Drivers at the petrol station said they believe that petrol prices generally are outrageous.

Glyn Bevan, 45, of Parc Seymour, is a stone mason and uses his car daily.

He said: "Garages have to put the prices up but it is a shame we can't get it any cheaper."

While Andrew Gardener, 43, of Caerwent, said: "I have to spend £60 to £80 a week on petrol."

And Jim Wright, a 37-year-old day centre manager from Langstone, said soaring costs were now inevitable.

But he added: "We see a large variation in prices around Gwent, some towns change from as much as six or seven pence."

A spokesman for the AA Motoring Trust said: "The smaller petrol stations are often the most expensive so we advise motorists to shop around. "We had a big peak in January this year, but the fuel price came down again very quickly. Now we have another peak, but it is impossible to say if it will go up or down."

The AA Motoring Trust estimates that the average cost of unleaded in the UK has risen from 90.5p to 94.6p a litre over the past month, roughly a penny a week.

Paul Hodgson, spokesman for the RAC, said the best way to tackle the price increase it to reduce fuel consumption. He said: "Small things like keeping windows shut and the sun roof closed will really make a difference. The air conditioning is also a huge drain on fuel."

l Tell us when you see unleaded petrol hit more than £1 a litre. Call our newsdesk on 01633 777226.