Petrol stations in Badenoch and Strathspey unable to discount fuel

The operators of two petrol station forecourts in the strath now eligible to cut their pump prices as part of a fuel discount scheme have been unable to do so as they are still in the dark over the next steps to be taken.

The UK Government heralded the arrival on Sunday of the 5p per litre reduction in fuel for people living across 17 of the UK’s most rural mainland communities including those in Dalwhinnie and Carrbridge.

Ministers have said the Rural Fuel Rebate scheme will provide forecourt savings for around 125,000 people living in the selected areas who face some of the highest fuel prices in the country despite depending on cars for transport.

However, Dougie MacDonald, owner of the Old Bridge Garage in Carrbridge, said the discount had not yet been introduced at his pumps although he was hopeful he would be able to do so soon.

He said: "There are all kinds of forms to fill in and these have been sent off to the Government’s duty office in Newcastle but basically we are awaiting to be told the next step.

"We will get there but nothing has come to us on the back of Sunday’s announcement and I only know what is being said in the media. We have had customers calling in asking what is happening. People are expecting their 5p per litre discount. It will be nice when it happens."

At Dalwhinnie’s filling station, boss Kevin Sinclair confessed: "I only registered a couple of weeks ago so there’s a long way to go yet. I’m not sure how it will benefit us, since locals don’t buy their fuel here anyway, although travellers will maybe be even more pleased to see the station here, in the middle of nowhere.

"But there’s been so little consultation over this. The first I knew of Dalwhinnie filling station being involved in the scheme came when I read it in the ‘Strathy’.

"Nobody came here to see what goes on at ground level."

He also feared for any motorists who thought they would see instant reductions.

"It would be nice to stick a sign up saying ‘cheaper petrol’ but that doesn’t take account of the realities of running this business. Politicians don’t take into account the overheads involved. If we’ve just paid out for 10,000 litres of fuel at one price, we can’t afford to sell it at a cheaper price.

"I don’t want to be pessimistic, though. We really do need to give it a chance but there’s simply not enough information yet to say how it’s all going to work out.

"It’s going to take some time and, who knows, it may turn out to be a good thing. We’ll see."

The introduction of the scheme follows a year-long EU approvals process. While the UK’s most rural islands already receive the discount, this is the first time that the EU has approved this discount anywhere in mainland Europe.

Danny Alexander, former Chief Secretary to the Treasury, told the ‘Strathy’: "I hope local people in Carrbridge and Dalwhinnie will see the benefit soon.

"The process for fuel retailers to register was supposed to be simple, so it is disappointing to hear that the local applications have not been processed quickly. Hopefully it will all be sorted out very soon."

He continued: "I came into politics to get things done for the Highlands. Despite the disappointment of the election, I am proud that people in remote areas will continue to benefit from my work in government.

"This discount is only happening because I was able to force it through in the coalition government. It is highly unlikely that the feeble 56 SNP MPs will ever be able to achieve anything as significant as this for the Highlands."

Retailers in selected areas could register from April 1 and the Government said the scheme would start to kick-in on Sunday following a 60-day time lag.

Fuel retailers within the selected geographical areas are eligible to register with HMRC and to claim back 5p per litre duty relief on purchases of unleaded petrol and diesel for retail sale. They are entitled to claim the relief from HMRC on a monthly basis.

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