Fuel price increases may have slowed in recent months, but delivery drivers up and down the country are still struggling to cope with the excessive rates being charged by filling stations.

Companies that own a fleet of vans and lorries have been put under immense pressure to find ways to trim their expenditure and this appears to have had a direct impact on fuel sales.

Government figures showed that petrol sales fell by 450.491 million litres in the first quarter of 2013 - a near ten per cent downturn when compared with the corresponding period in 2012. It also marked a 24.8 per cent drop on 2008, before the recession took hold.

According to the AA, a £4-a-tank spike in petrol prices at the start of the year forced many drivers to cut back on their fuel consumption.

Spokesman for the breakdown specialist Luke Bosdet said although the coldest March for 50 years had an impact on sales, it was the sky-high prices that deterred motorists the most.

"By far the biggest cause over the first quarter was the third 8p to 10p-a-litre price swing in 12 months," he remarked.