THE UK Government has revealed plans to give even more motorists in the Highlands the chance to buy cut-price fuel.
The Treasury has added six more north postcodes to its bid to the European Commission for permission to run the discount scheme on the mainland.
The concession of 5p off a litre of petrol and diesel was introduced on the islands two years ago.
And now Highland MP and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander wants to expand it to include many more remote areas.
The move was hailed last night by north MP John Thurso as a victory for the region, which was “in no small measure” thanks to the Press and Journal campaigns for fair fuel.
However, Highland Council transport chief Graham Phillips said he was disappointed that Bettyhill had failed to make the cut, and that community plans for a new filling station could be jeopardised by the exclusion of Helmsdale.
Residents of some of the most remote areas of the Highlands were left baffled in October when their communities did not feature on a list of 10 postcodes in line for the discount.
A flood of complaints from filling stations in the region – along with interventions by Lord Thurso and MP Charles Kennedy – led to the Treasury re-launching its consultation on the flagship scheme weeks later.
Mr Alexander will announce today that seven extra postcodes have now been identified – all but one of them in the Highlands – and will be added to the original 10 in an application being sent to the European Commission.
Lord Thurso said last night: “This success is in no small measure due to the support of the Press and Journal in campaigning for a fair fuel price.”
The Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross added: “I’m delighted with the outcome.
“I am glad I was able to persuade the Treasury to look at this again. As far as I can see, this now covers all the genuinely remote and rural areas, and it will be a tremendous help for people in these areas with their transport costs.”
The new postcode areas being added to the application are IV54 Strathcarron, IV26 Ullapool, IV27 Lairg, PH41 Mallaig, KW12 Halkirk, PA80 Oban and NE48 in Northumberland.
They join communities already earmarked for the discount, which were PH36 Acharacle, IV22 Achnasheen, PA38 Appin, PH23 Carrbridge, PH19 Dalwhinnie, IV21 Gairloch, IV14 Strathpeffer, as well as three south of the border in Cumbria, Devon, and Yorkshire.
A decision is expected later this year.
Mr Alexander, Lib Dem MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, said: “High fuel prices in areas where cars are a necessity, not a luxury, are a major issue in rural communities across the UK.
“So, following a supplementary call for information I’m pleased to announce that seven new areas will join the 10 areas already part of our new application.”
Mr Phillips, chairman of Highland Council’s transport committee and SNP councillor for East Sutherland and Edderton, said: “I’m really glad they have added these areas that should have been included in the first place.
“I’m disappointed that they have failed to resolve the anomaly that rules out Bettyhill simply because it’s in the same very large postcode as Thurso.
“And there’s a complete lack of KW8, which includes the officially recognised fragile area of Helmsdale, where the community is trying to open a filling station.
“They adopted a duff methodology and they have failed to resolve important issues which were brought to their attention.”
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