AA urges government to scrap 5p fuel duty rise as a third of UK forecourts charge £2+ a litre for diesel
AA analysis of government fuel finder data found 2,577 of around 8,000 listed stations pricing diesel at £2 a litre or more, prompting AA president Edmund King to call for the planned duty rise to be scrapped and a further 5p cut from duty, funded by extra VAT revenue from higher pump prices.
A third of filling stations in the UK are now charging more than £2 per litre for diesel, according to AA analysis of government fuel finder data reported by Bodyshop Magazine.
The AA's analysis found that 2,577 out of approximately 8,000 fuel stations listed diesel at £2 or more a litre. Many of these are motorway and major route forecourts, where higher prices skew the average upwards.
AA president Edmund King said: "We all know that skyrocket fuel prices are hitting drivers and industry. The government can help by getting rid of the proposed 5p fuel duty increase and cutting another 5p off duty. This could be funded by the extra VAT income the Treasury has collected as a result of higher fuel prices. Every 6p increase in the pump price gives the Treasury an extra 1p VAT."
King added that high prices mean more people are exploring going electric, with searches for used EVs on the AA Cars portal having risen sharply during the period of high fuel prices.
King also suggested drivers could help themselves in the meantime: "Drivers can also help themselves by using the AA app or fuel finder data to find the cheaper forecourts. We have found differences between 6-10p litre from garages fairly close together so it is worth shopping around." He said households might also consider cutting out short car journeys by walking, cycling or combining trips, citing AA research that cutting speeds and changing driving style can save 15% of fuel.
Sources
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