That is the view of Paul Jackson, managing director of fuel and mileage expenses control specialist TMC.

He said: ‘While the fuel campaigners are successfully mobilising public opposition to fuel duty at 58p per litre, some organisations still pay their employees almost that much per mile to travel on business. Those employers are paying around £6 in expenses for every litre their drivers use.

‘This puts the issue of business fuel costs into perspective. The fundamental problem for UK drivers is the underlying price of oil, which has doubled in the past few years and is on a long-term rising trend. Fuel taxes already account for less of the pump prices than they used to. They were 81% of the retail price in 2001-02 compared with 66% today.

‘As fuel prices continue to outstrip inflation, employers can no longer afford to pay for unproductive driving or exaggerated expense claims. Mileage has always been the main driver of fleet operating costs.’

He added: ‘According to the AA, the next scheduled rise in fuel duty would cost an average driver an extra £38 per year. But businesses risk losing more than that to common fiddles every time they pay an unaudited travel expense claim.’