MP calls for Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme to be extended to Westmorland

In Parliament this morning, local MP Tim Farron called for the Government's Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme to be made available to rural communities in Westmorland.

The Rural Fuel Duty Relief gives support to motorists by compensating fuel retailers in some rural areas with high road fuel prices.

The rebate gives a 5 pence per litre reduction to fuel retailers in the specified rural areas.

In England, only postcode areas EX35 (Lymouth in Devon), LA17 (Kirkby-in-Furness in Cumbria) and NE48 (Kielder in Northumberland) as well as Hawes in North Yorkshire benefit. This amounts to a total of 10.455 residents.

Speaking during a debate on supporting rural communities during the cost of living crisis, Tim said: "Families in rural communities have excessive fuel costs, not just to heat their homes, but just to get about.

"There's no public transport for many of us in places like Cumbria, and even when there is, it's very, very expensive.

"So people need a car just to get to work, to study, to shop and all the rest of it.

"And yet whilst the government, the coalition government brought in the Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme, only ten and a half thousand residents in the whole of England qualify for it.

"So if you're from Brough, Appleby, Kirkby Stephen, Shap, Ambleside, Coniston, Hawkshead, and you need to travel to other places you're not able to benefit from this.

"Would the honourable lady advised the Minister to expand the Rural Fuel Duty Relief Scheme to make sure more communities can take advantage of it?"