ARRAN drivers are filling their tanks with the most expensive fuel in Scotland.

That’s the claim of Whiting Bay resident David Black who has been comparing petrol pump prices on the mainland and other islands.

Despite the 5p litre ‘derogation’ – a Scottish Government funded subsidy for rural areas and islands – unleaded petrol at £1.36 a litre is still 33p more expensive on the island than in Ardrossan. Or 38p more if the derogation is removed.

More surprisingly, Mr Black has found that drivers on remote Lewis in the Western Isles pay only £107.9 a litre.

On Barra, motorists cough up £1.26 and £1.29 on Tiree.

Mr Black said: “I cannot find anywhere else where such a high price is being charged, and I believe that the Isle of Arran may have the most expensive fuel in Scotland. There is a question that remains unanswered here – is it reasonable to expect such a comparative price differential or have market forces failed here?

“If we are being charged a fair price here, it would surely follow therefore, that the price of fuel in far more remote islands would be higher than here on Arran.” Fuel is supplied to Arran’s four petrol outlets by a single company – Certas Energy – and all pumps charge the same per litre price.

A spokesperson for Certas said: “As you may be aware, Certas Energy (owner of Scottish Fuels) does not set the retail price on the Isle of Arran; the price at pump is determined by the retailer.

“The margins Certas Energy makes on the Isle of Arran – which are built into the wholesale price for fuel – are comparable with our business elsewhere in Scotland, however the higher wholesale price on the Isle of Arran is a direct result of filling our storage tanks to full capacity at the end of each summer.

“We do this as a duty of care to our customers on the Isle of Arran to ensure there is security of supply during the winter months when ferry access from the mainland to the Isle is restricted.

“As a result, our ‘in tank’ wholesale price remains at the summer wholesale price and isn’t impacted by current pricing trends.

“This will continue until fresh stock is delivered when our winter stocks have fallen sufficiently to allow replenishment, and the ferry service returns to normal. At present, the date for this is unknown.

MSP for the island Kenneth Gibson hit out at Certas explanation. He said: “Having campaigned for years to secure a fuel derogation of 5p a litre for Arran it is shocking that islanders have not only seen the gap in island fuel prices with the mainland narrow, but actually increase markedly.

“Certas claim that huge storage facilities were stocked with fuel months ahead on Arran – enough to last the winter. Surprisingly, the date when such fuel will be exhausted is ‘unknown’ which shows both a worrying lack of stock control and gives no hope as to when fuel prices will fall. As with the domestic energy market, suppliers seem quick to lower prices and markedly slow to lower them. Does anyone believe that if fuel stocks on Arran are replenished soon at the current low price and the oil price rises that fuel will be sold for months at a much lower price than elsewhere? I will accept the company’s offer to meet and seek a solution to a problem which is leaving my island constituents short-changed.”