production

The AA also accused oil companies of 'profiteering' by failing to pass on the benefits of earlier falling oil prices which ended on Wednesday as OPEC tightened the supply tap.

UK motorists are missing out on cuts of between 2p and 4p a litre, says the AA.

And it warned that it was not just motorists who would suffer, with rising oil prices affecting the whole of the economy pushing up the costs of business and home heating.

The AA urged Prime Minister Gordon Brown to take concerted political and economic action with other Western leaders to persuade OPEC that such action is unacceptable - and ultimately not in their own interest.

It said OPEC's actions had echoes of the 1970s when OPEC, then spearheaded by Sheikh Yemani - restricted supplies tolast year.

But the outcome effectively meant member countries had agreed to cut back 520,000 barrels a day of 'excess' production. Countries regularly produce oil above the organisation's overall quota to maximise their profits when prices are high.

Energy analyst John Hall, of John Hall Associates, said: 'There's a general feeling that it's Opec's fault that oil prices are so high.'

He thought prices could now head up back to the 110 dollar a barrel mark in the coming months as a result of the meeting.

He said: 'By allowing the price of oil to rise too quickly to unrealistic levels during this year already, Opec has jeopardised price stability and will now have to be very careful to balance supply and demand and try to keep price levels acceptable to both