Hundreds of British motorists could be left disappointed by a fuel duty freeze in this afternoon’s Spring Budget with the overwhelming majority calling for urgent petrol and diesel price reductions.
A new Express poll found almost 80 percent of road users wanted fuel duty fees to be rolled back by Jeremy Hunt in today’s statement.
Fuel duty charges are expected to be frozen with owners of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles not expected to pay any more.
The freeze should include the temporary 5p cut introduced in May 2022 with rates set to remain at 52.95p per litre.
However, only 14.12 percent said that charges should remain as they currently are with others demanding discounts.
A total of 16.25 percent think the Government should further reduce fuel duty fees by an extra 5p per litre. Meanwhile, a staggering 63.31 percent have called for rates to be axed by a whopping 20 pence per litre.
It comes after FairFuelUK founder Howard Cox demanded the staggering cut and even encouraged the Chancellor to adopt the fee as a temporary measure.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Howard said: “Of course, no Chancellor will have the cajónes to make such a sizeable reduction because of emotive ill-informed pressure from the brainwashed eco-zealots.
“But if a 20p cut in fuel duty was enacted – giving a £11 boost to consumer spending from every family car fill up, it would put billions back into the economy.
“I challenge Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to try it for six months before the Autumn General Election and measure its undoubted positive impact to the economy and at the ballot box.”
Express readers were quick to give their predictions ahead of the Spring Budget with some suggesting it would be unlikely charges would rise with the Conservatives behind in the polls.
@zinnki explained: “Did they forget it’s an election year? I seriously doubt they’ll increase any taxes.”
Another stressed: “Bearing in mind that increases in fuel duty is inflationary, it beggars belief that the Government is seriously considering increases.”
Meanwhile, others reiterated that there were not the right conditions in place to be targeting petrol and diesel motorists. @Islands added: “Until there is an affordable alternative to petrol/diesel the Government should not punish the poor with punitive taxation!”
But, not everyone was in agreement that rates should fall with around 4.64 percent claiming petrol and diesel duty fees should rise.
Express reader @Greebo opined: “Fuel for all ICE vehicles should increase substantially now and on an annual basis and include an acceleration factor.
“ICE vehicles MUST be removed from the roads, the consequences far less than environmental damage that is increasingly taking place.”
