Petrol stations close to the borders with Germany and Belgium have been hit hard by the most recent increases in petrol taxes, according to garage owners’ association Bovag.

At least one petrol station in Enschede is set to close and others are on the verge of making the same move, Bovag directors Koos Burgman told Nos radio.

There are ghost villages close to the border which have now lost not only their petrol station but their shops because of the high taxes. ‘This is happening because the price differences for fuel, tobacco and alcohol between the Netherlands and Belgium and Germany are becoming even bigger,’ he said.

In one petrol station in Valkenswaard, just two km from Belgium, LPG sales have plunged 45% since the start of the year, while diesel sales are down 38%, he told broadcaster Nos.

According to the Financieele Dagblad, the Dutch state levies taxes of 77 cents on every litre of petrol. This is 4% more than Italy and 7% more than Britain, which are numbers two and three on the list of most expensive petrol countries.