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Tackling Rising Fuel Costs
- 3 hours ago
- 1 min read
Today in Parliament, I pressed the UK Government to provide meaningful support for rural communities like North East Fife, where soaring fuel prices are hitting residents and local businesses hard.
During an Urgent Question on the Government’s plans for motorists, I highlighted that Ministers continue to point to the Fuel Finder website as their main solution for keeping prices competitive. But in North East Fife, fuel costs have risen so sharply that there is now virtually no variation between petrol stations. When every pump price is equally high, there is no competition — and no affordable options for local people.
This is having a real impact on businesses, including fish merchants in the East Neuk who rely on long‑distance travel to deliver across Scotland. For them, fuel isn’t a choice, it’s essential to staying afloat.
Speaking in the House of Commons, I told the Minister:
“Driving isn’t optional in a rural constituency like North East Fife. When every pump price is equally high, there is no competition and the Government’s approach simply isn’t working.”
I also challenged Ministers on the lack of support for rural drivers trying to transition to electric vehicles. Many people in North East Fife need to charge while out and about, meaning they rely on public charging points that are still limited, inconsistent and often unavailable.
That’s why I pressed the Government on why it is not offering meaningful support beyond red diesel, including proper investment in EV charging infrastructure tailored to rural areas.
You can watch the full exchange here:
