A Stornoway filling station is to be the first in the Western Isles, and one of the first in the Highlands and Islands, to offer Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to motorists. LPG costs about half the price of unleaded petrol and can help cut the cost of motoring.

Charles Engebretsen, who runs Engebret Ltd., a petrol station and shop in the town's Sandwick Road, has been awarded £11,850 (pounds) from the Scottish Executive's Rural Petrol Station Scheme, administered by Western Isles Enterprise (WIE), towards the cost of the project. This is the first approval in the Highlands and Islands since the scheme was extended to include LPG provision only three months ago

The £23,700 (pounds) expansion to Mr Engebretsen's current fuel station will see the installation of an LPG fuel tank and pump, complete with electronic cash and computing display. Unlike other fuel storage tanks, the LPG tank will be above ground but will be fenced off for security and safety purposes. The expansion, and associated LPG marketing, will create two new full-time jobs, and the new facilties are due to be installed by the end of August.

A recent visitor survey carried commissioned by WIE shows that over 160,000 people visit the area annually and 71 per cent of those visitors use a private or hire car, re-affirming the need for adequate and affordable fuel provision.

Converting a vehicle to run on LPG costs approximately £1,000 - £1,500 (pounds) and Mr Engebretsen has formed an informal partnership with a local garage to carry out this work. Drivers of approved new, or nearly new cars, can get grant assistance of between 40 and 75 per cent towards the cost of the conversion under the Government-backed 'Powershift' programme. Once converted to LPG, a vehicle can still run on petrol, if LPG is unavailable. At the moment LPG costs about 44p per litre, less than half the current price of unleaded petrol in Stornoway, which costs around 92p per litre.

Mr Engebretsen said: "Without assistance from WIE through the Rural Petrol Station Scheme I would not have been able to go ahead with this project. Rural motorists want cheaper fuel and changing to LPG is one way of achieving this. It is also kinder to the environment."

Chief executive of WIE, Donnie Macaulay said: "Motorists in the Highlands and Islands have to pay much more for fuel than people elsewhere in the UK. The availability of the much cheaper LPG in Stornoway, servicing islanders and visitors, will be much welcomed."

Anyone interested in converting their car under the 'Powershift' scheme can receive further information on tel: 0845 6021425, or on the internet at www.est-powershift.org.uk.