Plaid Cymru leader Elfyn Llwyd has reignited the fight for a fuel duty regulator to stop prices rising too much at the pump. A protest is taking place later today outside Westminster to campaign for cuts fuel duty on petrol and diesel.

The price at the pumps soared to over £1.50 a litre this week. Elfyn Llwyd said: “In this Budget later this month, George Osborne should introduce a genuine fuel duty stabiliser, as supported by motoring organisations and the Federation for Small Business, which would cap the price of petrol at the pump if it increases beyond expectation.

“Figures from the Office for National Statistics also show that poorer families spend more of their income on petrol than richer families, so there is an earningseffect as well through high fuel prices.

Plaid have repeatedly called for the introduction of a regulator which would cut fuel duty when prices spike unexpectedly, freezing the price at the pump. Mr Llwyd also called for a rural fuel derogation which could mean lowering prices in rural areas.

He said: “Motorists in rural areas spend significantly more on fuel than those in urban areas.”