Greens in fuel free-for-all

Greenpeace is calling for tax concessions on some fuels

Greenpeace has been giving out free environmentally friendly fuel to motorists in Edinburgh.

Environmental activists have set up a "Green Garage" in the city centre as part of their campaign for tax cuts on green fuels like bio-diesel, hydrogen and green electricity.

The group promised to give away thousands of litres of bio-diesel which it said was identical to ordinary diesel but caused only half as much damage to the climate.

Drivers took advantage of the give-away

According to Greenpeace, thousands of petrol stations in Germany and France supply Bio-diesel but it has not become commercially available in the UK.

A steady stream of predominantly taxis and delivery vehicles queued for the fuel at the temporary service station in Edinburgh's Ferry Road.

Climate campaigner Laura Yates said duty cuts on ultra low sulphur diesel and unleaded petrol were not enough to reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the environment.

She called on Chancellor Gordon Brown to aid the introduction of commercially available Bio-diesel into the UK.

Ms Yates said: "We are giving away Bio-diesel today which is a real green alternative to the oil-based fuels we currently use and which are wrecking our climate.

'Real alternative'

"We need to end our dependency on fossil fuels if we are going to avoid further climate change such as more flooding and more extreme weather.

"Today we are demonstrating that there is a real alternative which is genuinely green, which we can put in our tanks today."

Drivers who received the fuel paid nothing but were asked to display a window sticker which stated: "Oil won't fuel my future".

Greenpeace organised a similar campaign in London last year.