Cooking oil motorists face fines. 2002-10-11
Motorists in Wales have come up with a novel alternative fuel more at home in fish and chip shops than garages, however the police are not overly enamoured with the idea. Anyone found using cooking oil as vehicle fuel will face a hefty fine and a possible jail sentence as police try to clamp down on the trend. A black market for the fuel, a combination of cooking oil and methanol has sprung up over the past few weeks among diesel vehicle users, prompting the police to target offenders. Motorists using the illegal blend will be initially fined £500 and may be jailed for 7 years if they repeat the offence. UK fuel tax is among the highest in the world, to the chagrin of many. Public and industrial resentment reached a peak with the 2000 ‘fuel crisis’, during which fuel depots were barricaded causing a nationwide shortage.