Lyon: Lib Dems in Government to act on rural fuel prices (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Liberal Democrats)

Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Liberal Democrats <Charles.Cavaye@talktalk.net>

Lyon: Lib Dems in Government to act on rural fuel prices

May 20, 2010 11:01 AM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

George Lyon, Liberal Democrat MEP for Scotland, has welcomed the news that the Liberal-Conservative coalition agreement includes provisions to reduce fuel duty in remote rural areas.

George Lyon MEPMr Lyon has been campaigning on this issue since being elected to the European Parliament last year and has already contacted 40,000 homes in areas across Scotland that suffer from high fuel prices.

Rural and island communities can pay up to 15p more per litre than the national average. Mr Lyon has pressed for Scotland to benefit from the same fuel duty reduction that is currently used in other EU member states like France, Portugal and Greece.

Commenting Mr Lyon said:

"This is an important first step in our fight for fairer fuel prices in rural Scotland.

"Successive Labour and Conservative Governments have blocked Liberal Democrat attempts to secure a fuel duty reduction in areas where driving is a necessity, not a luxury.

"Now with Liberal Democrats in Government we have a chance to deliver on what other parties have refused to even consider.

"I will work with Scottish Secretary Danny Alexander MP to make sure pilot schemes are introduced in Scotland so we can begin to lift the serious financial burden of sky-high fuel prices."