RISING petrol prices have driven people to use cheaper and cleaner Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG).

LPG conversion centres in Warrington report a rise in business along with the rest of the country.

Bill Withington, owner of One Stop Motors in Lower Wash Lane, Latchford, said: "Conversions are up about 15 per cent and sales are up about 30 per cent."

His company has converted many four by fours, fleet vehicles and vans, the same as David Stanley, of Autogas North West, in Frodsham.

Autogas has also recently been converting Vauxhall Omega taxis for Warrington firms.

Mr Stanley said: "Everybody is talking about the petrol prices at the moment. People are converting because you can run a range rover for Mondeo prices'.

LPG use is growing but it has not affected the mass market too much - both Safeway in Winwick Road and BP in Gemini say sales have not increased significantly.

But as petrol approaches the £1 a litre mark it will become more of an option, especially as the government has protected it from fuel duty for at least three years, so the cost at the pump is around half that of petrol.

LPG is a mix of gasses stored under pressure. It costs 20 per cent less per mile than petrol.

It also gives off 20 per cent less C02 than petrol and a tiny amount of particulate pollution compared to petrol and diesel.

Conversion costs around £1,600, according to the LPG Association, and the car can still run on petrol afterwards.

Diesel vehicles cannot currently be reliably converted, says the LPG Association, but it is awaiting feedback on emissions and engine durability tests and may be able to recommend conversion early next year.