Why are Welsh fuel prices higher than Northern Ireland?

For mobile hairdresser Eleni Lewis, fuel costs are always at the forefront of her mind when planning jobs.

The 28-year-old from Pontyates in Carmarthenshire said her £200 a month fuel spend affects the business.

“I try to keep my workload in the same area as much as possible to avoid spending too much on the road using fuel,” she said.

Although average prices in Wales are currently lower than the UK level, they are higher than Northern Ireland which consistently has some of the cheapest fuel prices in the UK.

The motoring organisation, the RAC, said the example of Northern Ireland shows that fuel “can be sold cheaper than it is”.

But the body representing fuel retailers said its members were facing higher operating costs as well as investing in new technology for electric vehicles.