Adelaide motorists paying more for petrol

Adelaide motorists are paying up to $30 extra to fill up their tanks compared to a year ago, the Royal Automobile Association (RAA) has revealed.

The January average for unleaded petrol is $1.59/litre, compared to just $1.21/litre this time in 2019.

The price increase is seeing motorists with large four-wheel drives pay an extra $30 per tank, those with a family sedan $23 more and an extra $15 for a city run-about.

"This last 12 months has been one of the biggest jumps we've seen, mainly caused by uncertainty in the international market," Mark Borlace from the RAA said.

"People heading away for the weekend will probably be filling up today and tomorrow and they're going to be paying the dearest price they've paid in a long time."

Many motorists are feeling the pinch.

"We have noticed the difference in the last three to four months, the price variance is unbelievable. I am always chasing the cheaper fuel. It is pretty frustrating because you are driving around town to try and find the cheapest fuel to make it cheaper on your pocket," one motorist said.

"How the petrol industry is allowed to have that much of a rise in such a little time when the oil prices have been stable for so long, it is just an absolute abomination," another said.

Some outlets around Adelaide are still selling unleaded for under $1.30/litre but others just a few hundred metres away have jumped to more than $1.75.

The RAA is calling on the South Australian Government to follow other states and introduce real time fuel price monitoring to make it easier for motorists to save.

"What we are looking for is real time fuel pricing that the government are committed to so that the community can see where the cheapest fuel is and save the money that they need to save in this period," Mr Borlace said.

The state government says a report from the productivity commission on that, is expected in March.