Britain second only to Finland on high fuel prices for motorists

BRITISH motorists are paying higher petrol prices than anyone else in Europe except for Finns, the RAC has claimed as it attacked the Government’s failure to reduce fuel duties.

Prices are at least 20p per litre cheaper in the eurozone’s big four economies – Germany, France, Italy and Spain – while many countries made much bigger cuts to fuel taxes, according to the motoring group.

UK drivers were handed a 5p per litre cut to fuel duty by Rishi Sunak when he was chancellor, a £2.4bn giveaway. But it is dwarfed by the action taken by Ger- many, Italy and Ireland.

The RAC found prices at the pump in the UK are higher even than in some countries that have not cut fuel taxes at all but have better forecourt prices. It found that the average petrol price in the UK is 186p per litre, higher than all 27 EU countries bar 190p in Finland.

It also revealed that the UK ranks 12 out of the 13 countries that cut fuel taxes in response to rocketing oil prices. Only Luxembourg opted for a smaller petrol tax cut but its overall fuel prices are already much lower than the UK’S.

The figures will raise the pressure on Tory leadership candidates Liz Truss and Mr Sunak to promise more support for drivers feeling the pinch from near record prices at forecourts. There have been concerns forecourts have failed to pass on to drivers the fuel duty cut and falls in wholesale prices.

Fuel costs in the UK are much higher than the 154p per litre in Germany after it cut its petrol taxes by just above 25p.

Petrol prices are cheapest in Hungary at 106p while average 163p in France, 164p in Italy and 166p in Spain. The UK also had the second highest diesel prices, behind only Sweden.

Simon Williams of the RAC, said: “Compared to other European countries, it’s pretty much done the least to support drivers.”

He said drivers “need more help” as falls in costs at the pumps are “too little and too late” given the large drops in wholesale prices enjoyed by retailers in recent months.

12th

Position of UK in list of 13 European states based on fuel tax cuts. Only Luxembourg came lower but still has lower pump price