West Fifers in particular could be badly hit by rises in fuel prices, a local councillor has warned.
As The Courier calls for the establishment of a fuel duty regulator to minimise the impact of rocketing oil prices, West Fife and coastal villages SNP councillor Bill Walker said, “The UK government’s increases in both fuel duty and VAT are putting real pressure on the budgets of all Scotland’s motorists and households.
“This is especially marked in west Fife where many people have to travel longer distances to work.
“In the west villages, this price increase hits even harder as we now only have one petrol station in the ward, an independent one in Cairneyhill, which is unable to get the lower basic prices that the multiple can get on the main road routes due to relatively low sales volumes.”
He said Scotland was the most oil-rich nation in Europe, yet Scots were now paying among the highest fuel prices in Europe.
“More expensive fuel means more expensive goods in our shops,” he pointed out.
Motorists and businesses across Scotland are facing record petrol pump prices that have reached more than £1.40 a litre in some areas.
Coupled with the UK Government’s recent VAT rise, these record fuel costs are putting increased pressure on communities and sectors of the Scottish economy.
With a further rise in duty scheduled for April, The Courier is backing calls on the UK Government to create a fuel duty regulator to ensure high oil prices result in cuts in duty to tackle rising prices at the pumps.
From businesses and farmers that are struggling to fill up, to workers that are finding their daily commute increasingly unaffordable, we are looking at how rising fuel prices affect everyone and we’d like to hear your views.
To tell us how rising fuel prices are affecting you, please contact The Courier newsdesk on 01382 575291, email letters@thecourier.co.uk or leave a message here.