LABOUR MP Gordon Prentice has urged the Government to promote compressed natural gas as a vehicle fuel.

The Pendle member raised the issue during transport questions and asked Transport Minister Glenda Jackson what was being done to persuade people to convert from petrol and diesel to gas.

He said: "We will never get people to convert their vehicles until there are pumps in filling stations to allow them to fill up their tanks with compressed natural gas."

Miss Jackson said the Budget had cut the duty on compressed natural gas and liquified petroleum gas by 29 per cent - a strong incentive to convert to those fuels.

She added: "There are signs that fuel suppliers now have the confidence to invest significantly in gas refuelling facilities."

Mr Prentice said afterwards: "Natural gas vehicles have much cleaner exhausts than petrol or diesel, the fuel costs a lot less than the conventional alternatives and there is next to no loss in performance.

"Because cuts are so few and far between, the main users are depot-based vehicles such as buses and refuse vehicles.

"But once we get gas pumps on the forecourt things could really take off."

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