BRITISH motorists are forking out far more for their fuel than drivers in the major European vehicle-owning countries, a survey out today shows.

And UK drivers have had to dig deeper into their pockets for petrol and diesel throughout this decade, the poll by uSwitch.com found.

When Britons were paying around £119p a litre for petrol last month, Spanish drivers were only being charged 96p, the survey found.

Petrol and diesel was also cheaper in Germany, France and Italy, with diesel in Spain at £1.00 a litre compared with £1.33p a litre in the UK.

The annual average cost of petrol per person in the UK - based on last month's prices - was around £1,752, compared with just £1,409 in Spain, the survey showed.

Only 48% of petrol bought in Spain goes to the government in tax, compared with 56% in Italy, 59% in the UK, 61% in France and 62% in Germany.

Poll

The survey showed that since 2000, UK drivers have consistently paid 20% more for their petrol and diesel compared with drivers of the other four countries polled.

Mark Monteiro, insurance expert at uSwitch.com, said: "Although the Government has postponed the 2p rise in fuel duty until October, consumers still have a right to feel hard done by.

"We currently pay 7% more to fill our cars with petrol than our European neighbours, forking out an average of £1,753 a year to run our cars. Price cuts of up to 4p per litre at the forecourts of some of our largest supermarkets have been a step in the right direction.

"Unfortunately, supermarkets have a small market share in petrol retail, so we need to see larger brands follow suit."

He went on: "Cash-strapped consumers are juggling price increases across all fronts. Petrol prices are yet another rising cost to contend with, adding further strain to already stretched finances.

"As a direct result of these high prices it would be no surprise to see motorists leaving their cars at home and using other methods of transport. However, drivers who are reliant on their cars for business or live in remote areas will be hardest hit. For them, leaving the car at home is not an option."