MEP calls for end to East Mids Pump Pain

12.00.00am GMT Thu 26th Feb 2004

A local Euro-MP wants action to prevent the costly misery suffered by thousands of East Midlands drivers at the petrol station each year.

More than 120,000 people across the UK mistakenly put the wrong fuel into their cars at filling stations last year, thousands of them in the East Midlands.

Putting the wrong fuel in your vehicle could be a costly mistake.

The number of AA call-outs to deal with the problem has risen by almost 10% over the last five years, and the equivalent of 13 tanker loads of fuel is said to be wasted through misfuelling incidents every month.

Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Bill Newton Dunn says this 'misfuelling' creates huge expense and inconvenience for motorists. He wants Europe-wide action by car manufacturers and fuel suppliers to curb the problem and is calling on the European Commission to act.

Mr Newton Dunn says that the average cost to motorists for a misfuelling error is around £130, but if damage is caused due to driving the car with the incorrect fuel, the repair bills can sometimes run into thousands.

Possible solutions to the problem vary from differently shaped nozzles at pumps to clearer markings and audio warning.

He said: "Everyone knows someone who has made this mistake, and we can all imagine the cry of frustration it must produce. The problem is not unique to British drivers and happens across the continent.

ENDS

Notes:

The AA advises those who do misfuel their car not to start the engine, or to switch off as soon as possible. Contaminated fuel must then be drained by a garage using authorised equipment and with approved disposal facilities.