Shropshire HGV training firm ‘riding out’ diesel price rises

Record-breaking fuel prices have left a firm teaching people to drive lorries and buses having to “ride out” the rising cost of filling up its vehicles.

The average price of diesel in the UK hit an all-time high this week at 199.33p a litre, according to the RAC motoring organisation.

Prices have been steadily rising since the US-Iran war began in February. Petrol has also risen to 174.23p a litre.

Steve Dulson, managing director of Shropshire-based Dulson Training, said it was costing hundreds of pounds more to fill up each lorry compared with 2025 prices.

“Over the last 12 months we’ve seen a rise of up to 50p a litre, excluding VAT, and it’s hard to react to that, because of how we deal with our customers,” he said.

“Our customers have usually been in our pipeline for some time, taking medicals, applying for provisional [licences] or taking theory tests, so by the time they’ve got to their practical training, and the fuel prices have increase, they’ve already been quoted.

“That makes it difficult for us to put prices up.”