Fuel discount scheme for town with one petrol station
- 18 October 2013
- From the section Devon
A town with only one petrol station has welcomed plans to include it in the government's fuel discount scheme.
Lynton in Devon is one of 10 rural towns in mainland Scotland and England which could have a 5p a litre reduction in fuel duty after an application by the UK to the European Commission (EC).
Barbrook fuel station owner Lesley Goodman said it could "affect local people a great deal".
The next nearest garage is 12 miles (19km) away.
The towns selected for the application are more than 100 miles (160km) by road from the nearest refinery and have a population density lower than 135 people per sq km.
Lynton parish mayor Suzette Hibbert said the proposal was "very exciting".
She said: "People in the area have been struggling, with many in what I would consider to be fuel poverty."
Ms Goodman said emergency services would also benefit, although the discount would not automatically mean the fuel was the cheapest in the county.
Unleaded petrol is currently 136.1p a litre at the station. The average is 128.9p in Plymouth.
"We are a remote community," she said. "Ambulances, police and fire crews all fill up here. If they can have a reduction, there should be more money in their coffers."
Introduced in March 2012, the discount currently applies to the Hebrides, Northern Isles, islands in the Clyde and the Isles of Scilly as well as other island communities in Europe.
A decision on the latest application is expected from the EC next year.
Retailers register with HM Revenue and Customs to claim the 5p a litre relief on fuel for sale to the public.