If motorists are expecting a relief in gas prices after a record-setting 2011, they are out of luck. Gasoline prices are higher than they have ever been at the start of the year, according to the Auto Club of Southern California.

“Last year had the highest average gas prices ever, and as we see high prices in January, it doesn’t bode well,” Auto Club spokesman Jeff Spring said. “We could see gas prices in California go up significantly.”

In Santa Barbara, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.736 on Thursday, up 9.1 cents from a week earlier and up 38.6 cents from a year earlier, according to GasBuddy.com. Nationally, a gallon of regular was averaging $3.337, up 7 cents from a week earlier. That topped 2011’s record-setting start by 24.7 cents a gallon.

Santa Barbara’s 2011 annual average of $3.86 cents a gallon is about 30 cents higher than the previous annual records set in 2008, according to Spring.

“It’s frustrating,” said Santa Barbara resident Tom Carlson, who was filling up his Ford truck at the USA Gasoline at 636 W. Carrillo St. “I hope the high prices don’t slow the economic recovery.”

Santa Barbara motorists can find the cheapest gas at Educated Car Wash at 3735 State St. at $3.54 a gallon. The next cheapest stations list prices of $3.59, including the Vons at 145 N. Fairview Ave., the ARCO at 316 State St. and the World at 5960 Calle Real. The ARCO at 1116 Casitas Pass Road, USA Gasoline at 636 W. Carrillo St. and the ARCO at 1935 State St. sell a gallon of regular for $3.63.

Motorists can find the least expensive diesel fuel at the Shell at 5097 Hollister Ave. at $4.11.

The most expensive stations are at the Summerland Market at 2285 Lillie Ave. and the Chevron at 6895 Hollister Ave. at $3.99.

Spring said international concerns coupled with U.S. refiners exporting record amounts of diesel may be causing the high prices. California gas prices rose 29 percent last year, a 95-cent rise to the high of $4.257, which marks an increase in prices in 11 out of the past 12 years.

— Noozhawk business writer Alex Kacik can be reached at akacik@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.