The availability of lower cost motor fuel in Argyll is on the increase with three petrol stations having been recently awarded assistance to install Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG).

Under the Scottish Executive's Rural Petrol Stations Scheme, administered locally by Argyll and the Islands Enterprise (AIE), LPG is coming to Dunoon, Tarbert and Lochgilphead.

Walkers Home and Garden Centre in Dunoon, which comprises a garden and DIY centre, filling station and coffee shop, has been awarded a grant of £8,375 from the Rural Petrol Stations Scheme towards the £16,750 cost of installing storage tanks and pumps. Riverside Filling Station in Lochgilphead has been awarded £1,950 and the Kintyre Filling Station in Tarbert will receive £6,825 towards the cost of providing the public with LPG.

At a cost of approximately 40p per litre, LPG is about half the price of petrol which retails between 80 -90 per litre. Using LPG can therefore drastically reduce the cost of motoring especially in the Highlands and Islands where fuel costs are much higher than the rest of the UK. This cheaper, alternative form of fuel is also kinder to the environment.

The UK has one of the highest concentrations of vehicles per mile of road in the world, however it is amongst the lowest using LPG powered vehicles. Other countries have recognised its environmental advantages and encouraged its development with over 4 million vehicles now operating on LPG worldwide. In the UK there are still only around 23,000 vehicles using the cheaper form of fuel.

Converting a vehicle to run on LPG costs about £1,000 - £2,000 . 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.

Chief executive at AIE, Ken Abernethy said: "The installation of LPG at rural petrol stations across Argyll is in line with our strengthening communities strategy, making available an important community service which will also benefit the tourist trade.

"Motorists across the Highlands and Islands are faced with much higher fuel costs than drivers elsewhere in the UK. The availability of the cheaper LPG in our area is very welcome."

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.