Diesel prices surge by a third as drivers hit with £134 fill-up costs and £60 tax burden

The price of diesel has surged by more than a third in just over two months, piling fresh pressure on drivers across the UK who have been facing exceedingly high costs.

A new analysis from Land Rover Monthly revealed that diesel prices rose by 36.5 per cent in just nine weeks.

Figures from PetrolPrices.co.uk found the average price climbed from 140.72p per litre on February 9 to 192.14p weeks later in April 13.

That sharp increase has had an immediate impact on motorists' wallets.

For drivers with a typical 70-litre tank, the cost of filling up has jumped from around £98.50 in February to roughly £134.50 at April's peak, an increase of more than £36 per tank.

Petrol prices have also risen, but at a less dramatic rate. Unleaded went up by 20.3 per cent over the same period, moving from 131.46p to 158.17p per litre, meaning a full 70-litre petrol fill has increased from about £92 to nearly £111.

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But a large chunk of what drivers pay is made up of tax. At April's peak diesel price, around £60 of a 70-litre fill-up was made up of fuel duty and VAT.

Fuel duty currently stands at 52.95p per litre, with VAT adding a further 20 per cent on top. Petrol drivers face a slightly lower tax bill, but it remains significant.

A full tank at April prices included roughly £55.52 in combined duty and VAT.

Land Rover Monthly detailed how rising fuel costs are now one of the biggest concerns among 4x4 owners, particularly those living in rural areas or relying on their vehicles for work.

Steve Miller, Publisher of Land Rover Monthly, said: "Fuel prices have become one of the biggest shared frustrations in the Land Rover community."

He added: "Land Rovers are part of rural life, work, family memories and British motoring heritage. For some owners, they are cherished classics used sparingly. For others, especially later Defenders, they are still practical vehicles used week in, week out.

"What unites everyone is that the cost of fuel is being felt every time they fill up. When almost £60 of tax can be built into a single 70-litre diesel fill-up, ministers need to recognise the pressure on rural drivers, working vehicles and classic 4x4 enthusiasts."

The magazine argued the issue needs urgent attention from the Government, warning that high fuel costs are hitting those who depend on their vehicles the most.

It also challenged the idea that all Land Rovers are heavily used, fuel-hungry cars, with analysis of insurance data suggesting many older models are driven only occasionally.

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Pre-1990 Land Rovers cover an average of just 1,425 miles a year, while models built between 1990 and 2000 average around 3,188 miles annually.

However, newer Defenders built between 2000 and 2016 average 7,263 miles per year, close to the national average of about 7,100 miles, according to the Department for Transport.

This suggested many of these vehicles are still being used as everyday transport rather than weekend classics.

The issue is expected to dominate discussions at Land Rover Monthly Live this weekend.

The event will take place at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17.

Owners, clubs and traders from across the UK are set to attend, with fuel costs likely to be a key talking point.

Mr Miller added: "That is why events like Land Rover Monthly Live matter. They bring the community together, not only to celebrate the vehicles, but to talk about the real issues affecting ownership today."

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