Rural drivers’ fears over E10 rollout
Enthusiasts in remote areas voice their concerns about access to classic-friendly petrol
Historic vehicle owners in remote areas of the UK have continued to raise longterm concerns about running their cars on low-ethanol fuel.
Certain areas of Scotland – such as the Western Isles, Shetland and Orkney, have been unable to switch over to E10, containing a maximum of ten per cent bioethanol, owing to difficulties in its transportation and storage.
There, E5 95 octane unleaded has stayed as the only petrol available – but clubs worry that the five-year review of bioethanol fuel, or changes to the way it’s transported, may leave enthusiasts stuck with E10 with no access to the ‘protection grade’ of E5 available in the rest of the UK.
Orkney Vintage Club committee chairman, Richard Gorn, said: I think that E10 will come here eventually – or we will have the higher-octane super unleaded alternative, but if that happens I can see an increase in the cost of what is an already expensive commodity in the islands to cover the changes required to the infrastructure of fuel storage. If we can run on E5 just now, then hopefully we can hold on to it for a bit longer!’
MP for Orkney and Shetland, Alistair Carmichael, said that he would raise the issue of long-term use of bioethanol with the Department for Transport: ‘Classic car owners living in Scottish Highland communities may not be massive in number but their needs need to be catered for. There will be no problem as long as the current E10 exemption continues, but it would be unacceptable to end that without making proper provisions for them.’
Availability of classic-friendly lowerethanol E5 petrol remains patchy in certain areas of South Wales, too. The Swansea Historic Vehicle Register polled its members’ Facebook page and found that access to E5 was still relatively difficult in Llandovery, but that garages in palces like Carmarthen and Gower were actually stocking it.
Members also said that any local supermarket forecourts were supplying E10 fuel only.
] facebook.com/orkneyvintageclub/
] shvr.co.uk/