What’s better - Diesel or Petrol Vans?

A common discussion / argument amongst van drivers all around the country are what is best; diesel or petrol? There seems to be 2 cases here; value of performance and economy performance. In terms of price, it now looks as though there is a price difference of at least 9p – 10p a litre of diesel over petrol in UK gas stations. We know that diesel used cars costs more to maintain and service than petrol vans but has do have the advantage of being able to offer more miles to the gallon.

Follow up:

However, due to increased fuel prices, it now seems that these extra miles no longer compensate for the difference in price. Previously, when the difference between the two fuels was only a few pence, there was more of an advantage to having Diesel fuelled vans However, nowadays it seems this is not the case. In terms of the environment, it is unclear what is better as many people have different views on economic pollution and the amount each vehicle generates.