Content overview: “UK van drivers face £2.5bn diesel cost surge as fuel duty rise looms”. British van drivers are set to shoulder an extra £2.5bn in diesel costs this year, with average fuel bills climbing from £1,294 to £1,965, according to Guardian analysis. The surge follows record diesel prices driven by refinery disruptions in the Middle East and Russia, pushing collective spending at the pump to nearly £8.5bn. The figures have intensified calls for the government to scrap a planned fuel duty increase, with businesses and sole traders warning that higher operating costs could feed into consumer prices and slow economic activity.
With diesel remaining essential for logistics, construction, and trades, the added burden threatens to squeeze margins for small operators already coping with inflation. As the autumn budget approaches, pressure is mounting on policymakers to ease the strain on the UK's van-dependent economy. This listing links straight to the original page, where the content is available in full.