© Autogas LimitedLPG refueling at a station in the UKMr. Osborne’s statement gives businesses and individuals in the UK market confidence that the government will continue to support the development of the LPG industry.
Other, less common types of gaseous fuels (compressed natural gas – CNG, and liquefied natural gas – LNG) will be supported even stronger. This part of the statement was met with negative reactions from the representatives of the LPG industry.
Leading LPG supplier in the UK market – Autogas Limited – indicated that the lack of a coherent policy on all gaseous fuels deters manufacturers of cars factory-adapted to LPG, who do not sell them in the UK. Their market is mainland Europe.
LPG filling station network includes over 1400 locations, most of them located at petrol stations. It serves about 170 thousand drivers who own LPG-powered vehicles.
It is not clear why LNG and CNG are being treated differently from LPG. All three have similar positive environmental credentials but LPG is the only one to offer a reliable nationwide supply infrastructure, used daily by thousands of drivers. By offering less substantial support to LPG, the government is jeopardizing ongoing industry investment and greatly reducing the likelihood of any manufacturer reintroducing eco-friendly LPG models to the UK market.
We would urge the government to increase its support for LPG to match that of other green road fuel gases such as LNG and CNG, which will do a great deal more to help the conscientious private motorist. Positive government backing is vital to encouraging more drivers to discover the benefits of adopting LPG, and we call on ministers to develop a package of measures to support its widespread uptake.
Linda Gomersall, general manager of Autogas Limited
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