§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 27 January 1999,Official Report, columns 253–54, on leaded petrol, what estimate his Department has made of the costs of the (a) engine adjustments and (b) lead replacement petrol to motorists. [72327]
§ Dr. ReidLead replacement petrol is expected to become widely available by the end of this year, enabling those motorists that currently use leaded petrol—estimated at approximately 5.3 million—to switch seamlessly to this fuel without any engine adjustments and, hence, no additional associated costs.
Indeed, of these 5.3 million motorists, it is estimated that some 0.7 million could make immediate savings on their fuel bills by switching to ordinary premium unleaded petrol now. A further 2.3 million could do so with timing adjustments to their engines costing in the order of £50.
The remaining 2.3 million vehicles will need lead replacement petrol or, alternatively, separate additives to provide lubrication to critical engine parts. However, most of these vehicles can have engine modifications that would permit them also to save on running costs by using premium unleaded petrol. Such modifications, which are typically £200–£400 for a small family car, but higher for more sophisticated or specialist vehicles, would be offset by subsequent savings on running costs.