UK Drivers Urged to Fuel Up Before European Trips Amid Price Surge
Motorists planning to drive to Europe this Easter have received a crucial warning: fill up your fuel tanks in the United Kingdom before departing. This advice comes as fuel prices across the continent remain significantly higher than in the UK, potentially adding substantial costs to your journey if you get it wrong.
Record Fuel Price Increases in the UK
Drivers in the UK have already experienced sharp increases in fuel prices during March, largely due to the ongoing Iran oil crisis. According to the RAC, the average price of a litre of petrol at UK forecourts rose by 20p, climbing from 132.8p on March 1 to 152.8p by the end of the month. Diesel vehicle owners faced an even steeper hike, with the average cost per litre soaring by 40p from 142.4p to 182.8p over the same period.
These increases represent the largest monthly jumps since June 2022 for petrol and March 2022 for diesel, which followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Despite these rises, UK prices remain considerably lower than those in many European countries.
European Fuel Prices Skyrocket
Analysis of European Commission data by the RAC Foundation reveals that fuel prices on the continent are substantially higher. On March 23, the average price of a litre of petrol in France was £1.71, which is 25p more than the UK average of £1.46 per litre. Several other European nations also showed significantly elevated prices:
- Netherlands: 203p per litre
- Germany: 180p per litre
- Belgium: 156p per litre
Diesel prices followed a similar pattern, with French forecourts charging 183p per litre and Dutch stations at 214p per litre. These represent premiums of 13p and 44p per litre respectively compared to the UK average of 170p per litre.
Expert Advice for Easter Travelers
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, emphasized the importance of strategic refueling: "For those driving on the continent this Easter, it is a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire. If pump prices are high here – and indeed they are – then in many parts of Europe they have gone through the roof, including in France. It might seem counterintuitive, but filling up at Dover rather than in Calais could be the wise option."
Taxation Drives European Price Differences
The substantial price gap between the UK and Europe can be largely attributed to taxation policies. In France, taxes typically constitute 56% to 60% of the total fuel cost, compared to 47% to 49% in Spain. France imposes the Taxe Intérieure de Consommation sur les Produits Énergétiques, a substantial fixed excise duty currently around €0.68 per litre for petrol, ranking among the highest in the European Union.
France further compounds costs by applying a 20% VAT not only to the fuel itself but also to the TICPE excise duty. Additionally, France has shifted from historically incentivizing diesel to aggressively raising diesel taxes to match or exceed petrol taxes for environmental reasons, while Spain maintains a lower tax burden on diesel.
Easter Travel Disruptions Expected
This fuel advice comes as Abta estimates that two million UK residents will travel abroad between Good Friday and Easter Monday. UK holidaymakers heading to the European Union should also prepare for potential two-hour delays upon arrival as countries implement the new Entry Exit System border controls.
The EU's Entry Exit System requires third-country nationals, including UK citizens, to provide fingerprints and photographs when entering the Schengen Area, which encompasses 29 European countries. Airports Council International reports that waiting times at border crossing points have shown a "continued deterioration," with delays regularly reaching two hours during peak traffic times and some airports experiencing even longer queues.
EasyJet is preparing for its busiest Easter getaway yet, with up to 16,000 flights scheduled from UK airports during the two-week school break. Meanwhile, thousands of Easter train journeys in Britain will face disruptions as Network Rail undertakes more than 270 upgrade projects, including a six-day shutdown on the West Coast Main Line starting on Good Friday that will suspend all intercity services between London Euston and Milton Keynes.
