British drivers are paying the fourth highest diesel price in the world, new research shows.
A study by airport parking comparison website Looking4Parking.com revealed that at an average price of 141p per litre, the UK trails behind only Norway, Italy and Turkey for extortionate pump prices.
At the other end of the scale, drivers in Venezuela enjoy the cheapest diesel, paying just 1p per litre. To fill-up a Range Rover in the South American state would cost just £1.05, compared to the wallet-shrivelling £148.05 it costs here in Britain.
Diesel cars have experienced an upsurge in popularity in recent years, with over 2 million sold in the UK last year. Motorists are looking to benefit from greater average fuel economy over petrol cars, however, with pump prices an average of 5p per litre more than for petrol, opting for a diesel may prove a false economy for drivers not doing significant mileages each year.
However, despite being fleeced at the pumps, UK drivers are better off than drivers in most nations, as we spend an average of 7.9 per cent of our disposable income each month on fuel (based on 10,000 miles at 40mpg). This compares favourably to drivers in both Israel and Iceland, both of which spend proportionally more at the pumps despite cheaper retail prices.
Drivers in Yemen are particularly hard hit, due to a low average monthly income. Drivers in the Arab state spend over 14 per cent of their wage on diesel, despite a pump price of 19p per litre.
Below are the diesel price rankings in full
Worlds most expensive (price per litre):
1. Norway – 150p
2. Italy – 147p
3. Turkey – 144p
4. UK – 141p
5. Israel – 138p
6. Sweden – 135p
7. Denmark – 133p
8. Iceland – 131p
9. Finland – 128p
10. Ireland -126p
Worlds most expensive (price per litre):
1. Venezuela – 1p
2. Iran – 2p
3. Saudi Arabia – 5p
4. Libya – 10p
5. Bahrain – 10p
6. Turkmenistan – 13p
7. Qatar – 15p
8. Kuwait – 17p
9. Yemen – 19p
10. Brunei – 20p
Picture: Fotolia
