MOTORISTS could soon feel the pinch at the pumps as the conflict in Gaza sends petrol prices soaring.

Independent garages are being forced to pass on the increased price of oil, and the big supermarkets will follow in the near future.

It comes after city motorists have been enjoying continued price decreases in the past month.

The cheapest price at the pumps is 82.9p at the Tesco garages in St Oswald's Park and Brockworth.

Outside Gloucester, car users in the Forest of Dean and Stroud have only seen slight reductions with the cost of unleaded fuel hovering around 85p.

But now the price looks set to rise, according to Emma Gardner, who runs Gardner Garages Ltd. The firm owns the Westgate Petrol Station, Chambers in Hucclecote Road and General Garage in Huntley, as well as garages in Cheltenham, Worcester and Salisbury.

She said: "The price of oil has stopped falling and because of the fighting in Gaza.

"The supermarkets are on a two-week lag price but we are on daily prices, so we will be forced to put our prices up."

Emma says she expects to see an increase of 3p implemented today on yesterday's price and a further increase of 1½p before the end of the week.

This could see the average price of unleaded petrol in Gloucester climb to more than 90p per litre by the end of this week and averages of 92p in Stroud and 94p the Forest of Dean.

Emma said: "If there is a ceasefire in Gaza then the prices will go back down and the smaller stations will see this first.

"It was falling so much before. December was an amazing month. We were able drop prices dramatically but now the uncertainty in the Middle East has had an impact on the barrel price."

Dave Errington, who owns Kestrel Taxis, based in Innsworth, explained that Tewkesbury Borough Council, which sets the fares taxi drivers can charge, had put them up during the last petrol price crisis in September. They hadn't gone back down.

He said: "After quite a bit of pressure from myself and my colleagues, the borough council put our fares up in September

"And then the prices slipped back down, but our fares haven't changed, so unless there's a big increase, we should be able to survive it."

As with the last petrol price crisis, people are looking to the treasury and Chancellor Alistair Darling for answers.

A spokesman for the Treasury said: "Tax is a matter for the Chancellor as part of the budget process.

"The Chancellor will look at the issue of petrol duty in the run-up to the budget.

"People should feel confident the chancellor will consider all options in the budget."