The volume of diesel bought in the Netherlands fell by 200 million litres in the first six months of this year, according to new figures out on Tuesday.

In June sales fell by 9.4% to their lowest level since August 2003, motoring organisation Bovag said. LPG sales have fallen by almost 20% over the first six months of this year.

Bovag says tax increases are the main reason for lower sales, as the higher prices force drivers to fill up their tanks in Belgium and Germany.

‘There always used to be a balance between the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany but that is no longer the case,’ a Bovag spokesman told website nu.nl.

The organisation says the lower sales will have a strong impact on the treasury. ‘The cabinet had assumed the higher taxes on diesel and LPG would bring in €280m extra,’ he said. ‘But on these estimates, it will be a loss of €3m.’