Motorists are 'paying out 60% of petrol costs to the taxman'

A campaign has been launched which claims 60% of what motorists spend on petrol and diesel goes to the taxman.

The initiative has seen placards erected at several forecourts across Scotland.

On Tuesday, six garages across Glasgow displayed the signs, as part of 5000 throughout the UK that right-wing pressure group The Taxpayers’ Alliance claims are backing the campaign.

The Petrol Retailers Association is also behind the project, which calls on motorists to write directly to their MP about the level of fuel tax, which is set by the UK Treasury.

According to the Taxpayers Alliance, Chancellor George Osborne should cut fuel duty by 5p over five years or freeze it for the remainder of this parliamentary session to reduce the impact on motorists in the UK.

The stands erected at several independent garages across the country display a breakdown of where the alliance claims money spent on petrol goes to.

©STV News