Cut-price fuel could soon be offered to hard-pressed drivers in seven Highland communities.
The UK Government has selected the rural areas and put them forward for its flagship 5p-a-litre discount scheme for petrol and diesel.
But the process was branded “ludicrous” by a senior north councillor last night after the whole of Sutherland and Caithness was excluded.
The communities selected were Acharacle in Lochaber; Achnasheen, Gairloch and Strathpeffer in Ross-shire; Carrbridge and Dalwhinnie in Badenoch and Strathspey; and Appin in Argyll and Bute, as well as three areas of England.
An application has now been lodged with the European Commission to try to secure permission for the rebate.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander revealed in the Press and Journal last year he wanted to extend the scheme, which already operates on the islands, to remote parts of the British mainland.
Two of the 10 communities put forward by the government, Carrbridge and Dalwhinnie, are in the Liberal Democrat MP’s Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency.
But the choice of towns was threatening to cause divisions in the north last night.
Graham Phillips, chairman of Highland Council’s transport committee and SNP councillor for East Sutherland and Edderton, said the list was “absurd”.
“I think you will find that the petrol situation in Scourie is possibly the most expensive in the north of Scotland, and Durness as well,” he said.
“There are communities in north and north-west Sutherland that are on Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s map of fragile communities, which are in an equally disadvantaged position, if not more so.
“It is ludicrous that these communities have not been included. There should be equality for people who are in a similar situation.”
The Treasury launched a consultation on the extension in July, with officials contacting 1,500 retailers in 35 counties, including Aberdeenshire, Moray, the Highlands and Argyll and Bute. The criteria included having consistently high fuel costs, being more than 100 miles from the nearest refinery, and having a population density similar to the islands.
Mr Alexander said: “As a Highlander, I know all too well fuel prices tend to be highest in areas where a car is needed the most. We’ve already delivered a tax cut for remote islands and now want to extend that to mainland rural areas that suffer from similarly high prices to the islands.”
A decision by the European Commission is expected next year, and the extension would increase the people benefiting from the discount to 120,000, if it was approved.
The three English towns to make the list were Hawes in North Yorkshire, Kirkby-in-Furness in Cumbria and Lynton in Devon.
Alan Reid, Lib Dem MP for Argyll and Bute, welcomed the inclusion of Appin saying: “It will help the local economy.”
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