HC Deb 20 January 2003 vol 398 cc40-1W
John Barrett

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road vehicles which run on liquid petroleum gas fuel were in use in each year since 1999. [91157]

Mr. Jamieson

DVLA statistics do not provide a breakdown by fuel type, only vehicles that are dedicated gas or petrol/gas combinations. The following table shows the number of vehicles that are dedicated gas or petrol/gas combination. DVLA statistics also do not distinguish between Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Natural Gas vehicles.

Number of gas or bi-fuel vehicles
1999 17,010
2000 23,968
2001 29,968

But this understates the number of vehicles because not all conversions to alternative fuelling are notified to DVLA.

The Energy Saving Trust estimate that there is around 75,000 LPG vehicles currently in the UK. Motorists are converting to LPG at an increasing rate, with the number expected to increase by about 25,000 per year over the next two years, prompted by the Government grants available, and the fact that low-cost LPG fuel is now available in all areas of the country.