Motorists in the south of Harris will no longer have to travel over twenty miles to fill up their vehicles when a new petrol station is established this summer at Leverburgh.

The Harris Garage Company Limited has secured funding from the Scottish Executive's Rural Petrol Stations Scheme for the project. The £45,800 (pounds) investment towards the £65,000 (pounds) cost of the development is being administered by Western Isles Enterprise (WIE), part of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) network.

The new facility at Leverburgh, which is on the fringe of an Iomairt aig an Oir (Initiative at the Edge) area, will be conveniently located in the car park of the An Clachan Store and close to the Sound of Harris ferry terminal.

Bill Lawson, chairman of Co-chomunn na Hearadh Ltd who run the An Clachan Stores said: "The management committee of Co-chomunn na Hearadh are very pleased to be associated the development of the facilities at Leverburgh."

The new self-service petrol station, which will have two twin tanks with a capacity of 15000 litres, will be able to dispense diesel and unleaded petrol to customers. Self-service equipment will be installed and operated within the An Clachan Store in co-operation with Co-chomunn na Hearadh.

There are currently only two petrol stations on Harris, both of which are more than 20 miles from the Leverburgh area, the Harris Garage Company own a petrol station at Tarbert and there is a second supplier at Ardhasaig. A filling station at Horgabost, 11 miles from Leverburgh closed last year leaving the south of Thailand with no fuel station facilities.

The introduction in 1996 of a ferry service linking Harris and North Uist has boosted the Leverburgh area and a number of new businesses have emerged in recent years including a car hire business, a hairdresser, bunkhouse and several guesthouses. A recent tourism survey highlighted Harris as a popular visitor destination attracting 91,000 visitors last year, with 65 per cent of those using their own, or a hire car, while in the area. A petrol station at Leverburgh is considered to be vital due to this increased volume of visitors and traffic.

Owner of the Harris Garage Company, David Cameron said: "From the start of the project I have received strong support from the local community and assistance from BP Fuels. People living in south Harris were having to do a 40 or 50 mile round trip for fuel which is not practical when you consider the high cost of petrol and diesel. A fuel outlet in Leverburgh will provide a much improved service for locals and visitors."

Donnie Macaulay, WIE Chief Executive said: "Rural petrol stations throughout the HIE area find it difficult to operate profitably but this facility is sustainable because the project is being undertaken by one of the existing petrol station operators in Harris. The service is vital to this remote area with businesses and individuals relying heavily on fuel provision."