Petrol sales continue to fall as more and more British drivers switch to diesel.

Sales of diesel in the UK rose by 869,000 tonnes – about 4% – to 21 million tonnes last year, a jump of nearly 40% over the past decade, according to a new report from the Energy Institute.

“This level is 38.7% higher than a decade ago, illustrating how strong the move to diesel has become,” the report said.

Petrol sales have fallen by 17% over the past 10 years.

Diesel has become the fuel of choice for fleet drivers, thanks to its increased fuel economy, lower carbon emissions and tax benefits.

The switch to diesel has also been reflected in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Use of the fuel has been rising steadily by 2% per year.

Swiss analyst Petromatrix has forecast that at the current rate, diesel will account for 80% of transport fuel sales in the five major economies in about 10 years.

The number of vehicles on UK roads reached an all-time high of 33.4 million last year, the Energy Institute added.