A LOCAL MP is calling for Cornwall to be included in the government’s Rural Fuel Duty Relief scheme in an effort to reduce costs for those living in remote areas.

The Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall, Ben Maguire, has called for Cornwall to be included in the Rural Fuel Duty Relief scheme, following a debate in Parliament on fuel costs for rural communities.

The rural fuel duty relief scheme provides a 5 pence per litre reduction to fuel retailers in a number of specified rural areas on the standard UK rate of excise duty for unleaded petrol and for diesel.

The scheme was introduced in 2012 and applied only to the Inner and Outer Hebrides, Northern Isles (Orkney and Shetland), the islands in the Clyde and the Isles of Scilly. It was intended to help remote island communities that had higher fuel costs than elsewhere, for example, because of higher costs to transport fuel and low sales volumes.

However, in 2015 the scheme was extended to 17 other towns in Scotland and England that had similar characteristics to the original areas, such as remoteness and high cost of fuel.

Now, Mr Maguire has suggested that Cornwall be added to that list.

Speaking in the debate, the MP pointed out that people in rural areas like North Cornwall spend on average around £800 more per year on fuel than those in urban areas, due to long distances, poor public transport availability, and higher prices at the pump. Maguire also stated that around 75 per cent of journeys in rural areas are made by car, and that fuel in Cornwall can cost up to 10 to 15 per cent more than elsewhere, piling extra pressure on households already struggling with the cost of living.

The MP argued that the current Rural Fuel Duty Relief scheme is far too limited in scope and unfairly excludes Cornwall, despite its clear rural characteristics and reliance on car travel.

Under Liberal Democrat proposals, the number of areas covered by the scheme would be doubled to include places like Cornwall, alongside the introduction of an official government-backed ‘Pumpwatch’ scheme, to help drivers compare fuel prices and avoid being overcharged.

Commenting after the debate, Ben Maguire MP said that many of those living and working in North Cornwall have no choice but to use their own vehicles to travel and as such are forced to pay expensive fuel costs. As such, residents should be included in the scheme in an effort to ‘ease the pressure on household budgets’.

He said: "Many people here in North Cornwall have no choice but to travel by car for work, school, and to access vital healthcare appointments... and because of this, they face astronomical fuel costs just to get by.

"In the debate I called for Cornwall to be included in the Rural Fuel Duty Relief scheme. It’d be a simple, practical step to ease the pressure on household budgets, and give recognition to the reality of rural life."