Some people think they should not get a fuel card if they have a credit card. Even if there might be similarities, the fuel card is not a credit card and has its own use and benefits. The similarities pretty much stop at the way they both look and at the fact that the need for having cash is eliminated.

The first and most obvious benefit of fuel cards would have to be the possibility of buying petrol, diesel or other fuel at a discounted price. This is important especially because of the ongoing rise of the fuel. If you have a transportation business or your company has several cars for the employees, then the fuel card is the way to go. You do not have to give your drivers cash and all the invoices come with tax shown individually. This is important for your business because it smoothes the progress of tax recovery.

Fuel cards can be programmed in such a way that one can use them to buy one type of fuel or more depending on your needs. Because the fuel cards use Smartchip technology the number of fuelling transactions can be limited. These and other advantages make the fuel card more and more popular for both business and particular use.

Further benefits are listed below:

1. Simplified administration with itemised drawings in easy format in one invoice;

2. Simplicity of VAT reclaim even for European fills;

3. No home fuel tanks with security, monitoring and insurance implications;

4. You pay for actual drawings in arrears without necessarily needing to buy in bulk;

5. You pay for exact fuel amount used;

6. Costs are negotiable and often creditworthy businesses can agree a wholesale tariff cheaper than pump price;

7. A driver can fill on the road in Europe and take advantage of cheaper fuel provided that facilities fall within the card network;

8. In the event of fraud or misuse, cards can be electronically and quickly stopped;

9. Some card companies offer individual limits on each card for even greater control;

10. Returning drivers can fill to capacity when leaving EC ports and maximise cheaper prices of fills.

Summer time in the Western Lake District – Sun, sails and sound-checks
Summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the streets of Whitehaven, Silloth, Cockermouth… Local festivities and music festivals abound. Don’t miss Workington’s ‘Paint the Town Red’, the multi-award-winning Solfest, the Seaton Carnival, the Festival of Fools at Muncaster Castle, Millom’s Scarecrow Festival or the impressively named CockRock, to name but a few.
What better time to hit the quiet beaches of Allonby, St Bees and Haverigg, to try the fascinating town and harbour walks in Egremont and Harrington – or to set out by foot or on bike along the famous Coast to Coast routes? There are many Lake District Accommodation venues and Lake District hotels to stay at. There are strolls, hikes and rides for all the family, from coastal walks at Flimby to pony rides on Silecroft beach, organised through the Murthwaithe Green Trekking Centre. Golf at Workington and the Harrington driving range? Or what about a perfect, lazy day’s fishing on the Salterbeck reservoir, or from the pier at Whitehaven?
Of course when the sun is dancing on the Lakes, the urge to get out on the water is irresistible. So don’t resist.

Autumn time in the Western Lake District – Local colour like no other
Always majestic, the landscape of the Western Lake District turns magical with the change of season. As the days grow crisp and morning mists gather on the lakes and in the valleys, the fells become a golden swathe of bracken. With Lake District hotels set amidst such breath-taking scenery, there can be no better place to appreciate the woodland colours – from the soft carpets of oak and birch leaves in the Miredale valley to the striking red maples of Giggle Alley near Eskdale.
The bird sanctuaries of the coast are a hive of activity with new arrivals settling down ahead of the winter, or just passing through. Visit the Dodd Wood view-point near Bassenthwaite and you may catch an impressive glimpse of the rare and beautiful ospreys which fish the lake, perhaps before they migrate to their African wintering grounds.

Winter time in the Western Lake District – Rediscover the spirit…
Whether you think the season starts on the shortest day of the year or sometime soon after Halloween, the Western Lake District allows you to experience it to the full. Snow-capped mountains, glorious sunsets, roaring log fires and traditional evening entertainments will remind you what winter used to be, should be – and can be – all about.
Take the Swinside Stone Circle near Broughton-in-Furness, It’s an atmospheric time of year to visit this megalithic site, one of the earliest and finest in Britain. The fifty-five stones are set in a ninety foot diameter circle and seemingly aligned with the midwinter sun. Or the extravaganza of Darkest Muncaster and its mile-long trail of twinkling lights and seasonal effects – by turns spooky and truly magical. To complete the picture, add the welcoming warmth of cosy pubs and inns, of home-made soups and Cumberland Rum Nicky, a rich sticky tart with exotic ingredients that draw on the region’s historical trade with the West Indies.