UK diesel cheapest in Europe without taxes

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Satch

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Diesel in Britain would be the cheapest in western Europe if the punitive taxes were scrapped, the Government admitted today.

Business Secretary John Hutton published official figures showing the UK also had the second cheapest unleaded petrol before tax and duty were added.
The revelations are likely to infuriate hauliers and other motorists struggling to pay their fuel bills.


http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=442274&in_page_id=2&ct=5

Harrumph!:mad:
 
Perhaps this shuold read UK Diesel cheapest in Europe because of the punitive taxes?

David
 
Strange how things twist and turn........

The first time I holidayed in Spain (1963) I noticed how expensive petrol was when compared to England.
Spain is now the cheapest in Europe for petrol thanks to their governments taxation policies.
 
Spain is now the cheapest in Europe for petrol thanks to their governments taxation policies.

Last September (2007) when I was there:

Unleaded = 59 Cents a litre!
 
Where'd we go wrong :rolleyes:

We put up with it, that's where we go wrong. In places such as Italy they'd be rioting on the street - but in true Stiff Upper Lip Britain, we all get on with it and end up letting them get away with it :rolleyes:
 
We put up with it, that's where we go wrong. In places such as Italy they'd be rioting on the street - but in true Stiff Upper Lip Britain, we all get on with it and end up letting them get away with it :rolleyes:

Would there?

Italy's diesel is not far behind the cost of ours and their petrol is more expensive....

I can't quite work out why petrol car drivers go on so much about the cost of our petrol, they are getting cheap fuel compared to many EU countries.

Diesel is overly taxed mainly as a result of Mrs Thatchers 'fuel price escallator' causing significant rises over a short period. Subsequent rises have been inflationary as opposed to specific fuel tax rises.

I did the legwork last time, someone else can do it this time.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=549714&postcount=72

The dti and EU publish the figures every month. (yesterdays release)

http://www.dtistats.net/energystats/qep511.xls
 
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In venezuala, fuel is 0.7p/litre. It would cost 75p to fill up an ML500.

So we have it good do we? A 3rd World country has cheaper fuel than us :O
 
In venezuala, fuel is 0.7p/litre. It would cost 75p to fill up an ML500.

So we have it good do we? A 3rd World country has cheaper fuel than us :O

I sense a potential group buy looming! ....anyone got a tanker?? :confused: :D
 
In venezuala, fuel is 0.7p/litre. It would cost 75p to fill up an ML500.

So we have it good do we? A 3rd World country has cheaper fuel than us :O

There's a few countries like that. Fine when it was their own oil, but some of them are net importers now and their Governments are still subsidising the price. Someone has to pick up the bill.
 
There's a few countries like that. Fine when it was their own oil, but some of them are net importers now and their Governments are still subsidising the price. Someone has to pick up the bill.

True, but the government spends a lot on public transport, schools, hospitals, aid for the 3rd world. Why not subsidise fuel for car drivers instead....
 
True, but the government spends a lot on public transport, schools, hospitals, aid for the 3rd world. Why not subsidise fuel for car drivers instead....


Why can't Venezuela subsidise us? :rolleyes:
Goverments here are always giving aid etc to everyone else while the average guy pays through the nose.

Russ
 
:D :D

If I lived there I'd have an ML63, supercharge it and drive it like I stole it...

But on your wages there you'd only be able to afford a wheelbarrow.

Your 3rd world comment applies for a reason..
 
But on your wages there you'd only be able to afford a wheelbarrow.

Your 3rd world comment applies for a reason..

Probably not, I'd be one of the few who could afford a car but never mind.

I have to agree with Russells post, giving aid etc is all well and good, but the money is ours and should be spent solely on us. If we can give out millions in aid, then we can cut the fuel duty back to nil...
 
Some thoughts:

I live less than 20 miles from the Irish border. Every 3 or 4 weeks, I drive across with a load of cans and buy diesel on an Irish garage franchise chargecard. I'm saving between £8 and £9 a week, even allowing for the journey there and back, AND the current poor exchange rate on the Euro!

People need to wake up to the fact that it's NOT the shortage of oil or the world price that's the problem. Oil companies are making RECORD profits, and there's supposed to be a lack of supply of their raw material: lack of oil my a***!

If you're in the south of France or Northern Spain, nip across into Andorra with an empty tank and fill, fill, fill. Their fuel is about a third of the usual European price. Luxembourg is also very cheap. There's an immense filling station just over the French border that's packed to the gills with cars from everywhere!

Venezuela actually DOES subsidise the West! President Chavez has set up a private company selling very cheap home heating oil to the poorest in New York, Washington, Montreal, Toronto... AND he makes everything from fuel to hospitals cheap or free to his own people. Viva Chavez!
Could someone get him to sell it here?

Having spent two months in Argentina, I can tell you that their wages are way below ours, but their cost of living is way, way below ours. Always wondered why.

Think about this: we are paying less income tax than before Thatcher, the very wealthy are paying a lot less. We are paying MORE indirect taxes on all forms of fuel, goods and services, the very wealthy just pay the same as us. While we have the lowest income tax in Europe, we have the highest overall tax burden placed on the majority of earners. We are also paying higher prices for all the things that we need, while the very wealthy owners, CEOs and shareholders are walking away with the profits (and many of them are ex-MPs or family of MPs)!! Time for a revolution?

I'm moving to France first chance I get.

Tim.
 
Not from selling fuel in the UK though.

Because they sell the petrol to themselves effectively, (refinary to petrol station), they can say they don't make any money at the pumps. But that is just a smokescreen, they are making plenty.

Russ
 
Because they sell the petrol to themselves effectively, (refinary to petrol station), they can say they don't make any money at the pumps.

AFAIK all the UK majors have to buy in motor fuels on the open market ... they don't have enough refinery capacity internally for what they retail. There are companies that refine but don't retail, and also those who retail but don't own refinieries.

The bottom line is that if fuel retailing was profitable there would be new forecourts opening all the time, rather than dozens closing every month for the last X years ... which is the reality.
 

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