Steffan Aquarone, North Norfolk MP, has raised concerns that drivers in the area will be hit with raised petrol prices resulting from the war in the Middle East.

Mr Aquarone, who has campaigned for better transport links in the county, fears that it will be "widely felt" across the constituency due to the large number of people who are forced to use cars as their primary mode of transport.

He said: "I am deeply concerned that spiralling petrol costs will land on the shoulders of already-strained local commuters, families and businesses in my community.

"Cars are still a primary mode of transport here in North Norfolk where we don’t yet have a reliable transport network that gets us to where we need to be."

North Norfolk MP Steffan Aquarone. (Image: Steffan Aquarone)

He added: "Petrol price hikes will hit drivers in my constituency hard when they can least afford it and will impact students driving to classes, people travelling to healthcare appointments and those who rely on their cars to commute to work.

"I will keep fighting for a better-connected Norfolk, but until we have the public transport system we deserve, petrol prices have a direct impact on people’s quality of life.”

It comes as experts suggest the ongoing conflict in Iran will push petrol prices to record highs, with AA president Edmund King warning that price spikes could hit drivers in 10 to 12 days.

Experts have suggested that the ongoing conflict in Iran will push petrol prices to record highs

Mr Aquarone also called on chancellor Rachel Reeves to cancel her planned fuel duty increase, warning that local motorists face a "perfect storm" of soaring global prices and new tax hikes.

“The chancellor must scrap this planned increase," he said.

"It’s the least she can do to help local families in North Norfolk to weather this perfect storm and keep the cost of their daily commute under control.”

The fuel duty hike is set to hit UK drivers with a 1p rise this September - the first such increase in 15 years.

© Eastern Daily Press