British drivers pay highest fuel taxes in Europe

Published on 28/02/2012 12:09

CAMPAIGNERS pressing for cuts in fuel duty will take their case to the Treasury today as figures reveal that British drivers pay the highest fuel taxes in Europe.

FairFuelUK, which is backed by the RAC and freight organisations, will meet Treasury Minister Chloe Smith.

The meeting follows figures obtained by Tory MP Philip Davies indicating that, in Britain, taxes and duties account for 60 per cent of the price of petrol and 58 per cent for diesel.

These figures are far higher than for the rest of the EU, where Cyprus has the lowest figure for petrol (at 43 per cent of the total) and Luxembourg the lowest for diesel (38 per cent).

“These figures are another sign that we are going the wrong way with fuel duty,” said FairFuelUK founder Peter Carroll.

“We are calling on the Chancellor for a sea change in policy. He may claim that he has no money but high fuel duty is killing the economy.”

Chancellor George Osborne appears very unlikely to be moved by the protests, even though, as the AA has pointed out, tomorrow’s leap year extra day will bring in an additional £56.3 million in fuel duty revenue.

The AA said this gives Mr Osborne greater scope not to press ahead with the 3.02p-a-litre increase in fuel duty scheduled for August 1.

Motoring journalist Quentin Willson, spokesman for FairFuelUK, said: “We want the Treasury to understand that by cutting duty we will stimulate the economy, create growth, get people back spending again.”

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