Oil giant BP has scaled down plans to convert its entire UK estate to the new retail led Connect format. Retail business unit leader Graham Sims said: "We won't launch Connect in Wales or Northern Ireland. Costs are too high. We are going to be concentrating on big urban areas, because that's where the brand fits best." He said BP franchisees across the UK still had the option of financing Connect conversions themselves ­ but at a cost of £1.5m a forecourt. And BP's plans to upgrade computer systems to allow customers to order takeaways and shopping from screens at the petrol pumps, initially due to go live in June, have been dropped in the UK. Sims said: "Current UK legislation will not allow us to install screens at pumps. It says customers must keep their eyes on the petrol nozzle when they are filling up. We are frustrated by that and I am sure our customers are." BP has also pulled the plug on a roll-out of its Connect format in the rest of Europe as it focuses on the UK, America and Australia. Sims said: "We are now not going to launch Connect in Europe." It initially planned to open 200 sites worldwide this year, starting in Lisbon, Portugal, and Cleveland, US. Sims said under the scaled down plan, half of the eventual Connect estate would be in England and Scotland, and the other half in the United States and Australia. Its first three Scottish Connect sites opened in the Edinburgh area this week. The food offer at the new stores includes a "localised" traditional Scottish range, including haggis, neeps, tatties and Highland stew, part of BP's strategy to establish a reputation in food retail. The three new stores bring the Connect tally in the UK up to 60. A further 20 sites are due to open in England and Scotland this year. The Connect all-in-one' footprint includes hi-tech pumps, carwash, 24 hour cafe, shop, internet kiosks, a Victoria Wine off licence or entertainments concession, postbox, cashpoint and national lottery terminal. BP launched solar powered forecourts at the end of last year in a bid to refresh and update its brand image. {{NEWS }}