The country’s petrol retailers have joined the road haulage industry in calling on the chancellor to cancel the fuel duty increase scheduled for April 1.

Ray Holloway, director of the RMI’s Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), said that the 2p a litre increase would be disastrous.

“Increasing fuel tax would mean an immediate increase in prices for the consumer, and would almost certainly push a number of forecourt businesses out of business,” he said.

The PRA’s call adds to similar demands from organisations including the Freight Transport Association (FTA), the Road Haulage Association (RHA), the Federation of Small Businesses, National Farmers’ Union and the RAC Foundation.

Representatives of the RHA and FTA met with the chancellor of the exchequer Alistair Darling today.

They said that at 50.35p per litre, UK fuel duty for diesel and petrol is already the highest in Europe. Indeed, UK diesel duty is double the EU average rate of 25p per litre.

The organisations said the planned 2p increase will “generate further serious difficulties for the transport and forecourt industries, and business drivers”.