JET has opened the first in an initial five-strong network of service stations selling liquefied petroleum gas. The Jet service station in Hunslet Road, Leeds, is claimed to be the first in Britain to sell LPG on the forecourt. Further LPG stations are to be opened in Bradford, Staines, Birmingham and central London before the end of the year.

Jet, which has 700 service stations, will then review the network, which is a joint initiative with Calor Gas before deciding on further expansion. There are about 1,500 vehicles in the UK operating on LPG following conversion charges from petrol of £1,100.

LPG Autogas costs 39p a litre compared with about 63.9p a litre for premium unleaded petrol. Jet calculates that pence per mile savings of 1.95p a mile can be achieved by an LPG fleet car clocking up 20,000 miles a year.