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Lorry fuel price demo hits roads Fuel demo adds to road taxes row
(about 2 hours later)
Hundreds of lorry drivers angry at soaring fuel prices have protested in London and along the M4 in Wales. Lorry drivers have staged a protest at the rising cost of fuel, at the same time as speculation mounted about a government rethink on road tax.
A convoy of trucks closed the A40 into the city as hauliers parked up and went to join a rally in central London before petitioning 10 Downing Street. Hundreds of lorry drivers protested in London and a two-mile line of lorries crawled along the M4 towards Cardiff.
In Wales, a two-mile line of lorries crawled along the M4 towards Cardiff. Hauliers say diesel prices topping 120p a litre, plus the planned 2p fuel tax rise, will drive firms "to the wall".
Hauliers say diesel prices topping 120p a litre, plus the government's planned 2p fuel tax rise, will drive firms "to the wall". They want a fuel tax rebate. Meanwhile, ministers said Alistair Darling was "listening" to fears over plans to raise vehicle excise duty.
Welsh protest leader Mike Greene told the BBC that hauliers would give the prime minister seven days to cut fuel duty by between 20 and 25p per litre, or they would blockade refineries and ports. The government is planning to increase road tax on older, more polluting vehicles, and next week the chancellor will meet Labour MPs opposed to the plan.
Peter Carroll, from Transaction 2007, which organised the London protest, said he did not condone blockades, but "found it hard to condemn them", given how much hauliers were suffering. So far, 42 MPs have signed a Commons motion asking him to reconsider the policy on the grounds that it is retrospective and therefore "unfair" to people who have already bought their cars.
He told the BBC News website the response from the public to the protest had been "enormously positive". UK'S CHEAPEST & MOST EXPENSIVE FUEL Cheapest unleaded: 108.9p (Mansfield) Most expensive unleaded: 126.9p (Newport, Isle of Wight) Cheapest diesel: 115.9p (Banff) Most expensive diesel: 140.9p (Isle of Mull) Latest figures from PetrolPrices.com class="" href="/1/hi/in_depth/629/629/7293011.stm">Car tax rates guide class="" href="/1/hi/puffbox/promo/regular/7422174.inc">In pictures: Fuel protests Blockades
While the chancellor cannot control global oil prices, hauliers want an "essential user" duty rebate on fuel of between 20p and 25p a litre to ease competition with foreign haulage companies. UK'S CHEAPEST & MOST EXPENSIVE FUEL Cheapest unleaded: 108.9p (Mansfield) Most expensive unleaded: 126.9p (Newport, Isle of Wight) Cheapest diesel: 115.9p (Banff) Most expensive diesel: 140.9p (Isle of Mull) Latest figures from PetrolPrices.com Car tax rates guideIn pictures: Fuel protests'We can't carry on like this'
They say coach companies already receive this rebate and want it to be extended to them.
Mike Greene, leader of the protests in Wales, told the BBC that, unless the government agreed to the rebate within seven days, lorries would blockade refineries and ports.
Peter Carroll, from TransAction 2007 which organised the London protest, said he did not condone blockades, but found it "hard to condemn them", given how much hauliers were suffering.
The BBC's environment analyst, Roger Harrabin, said it was family-run, small and medium-sized firms that were worst hit. See how UK petrol and diesel prices have risen
He said large companies were able to raise their rates to absorb higher fuel costs and could also more easily pass on the pain of price rises to consumers.
'Real crisis'
Organisers had hoped as many as 1,000 lorries would take part in the protest in London, but Peter Carroll, from TransAction, said the turnout was about 500. Police put the figure at 300.
The lorries parked on the eastbound A40 closing the carriageway between the northern roundabout A3220 junction and Paddington from 1000 BST until 1600 BST.
Some drivers also joined a rally in central London before petitioning 10 Downing Street.HAVE YOUR SAY We have a worldwide reputation for being an expensive country for fuel. No wonder they call us 'treasure island' Adrian, Chester Send us your comments
Mr Carroll said hauliers were being "murdered" by rising costs, and the public's response to their plight had been "enormously positive".
"We feel we couldn't have put on a better or bigger display to show the government this is a real crisis," he said."We feel we couldn't have put on a better or bigger display to show the government this is a real crisis," he said.
"The acid test will now be whether they listen to us.""The acid test will now be whether they listen to us."
Commons motion In Wales, police said about 100 lorries took part in a 60-mile convoy protest from Cross Hands, near Llanelli. Other reports put the figure at about 170.
The protest came as Chancellor Alistair Darling prepares for a meeting next week with Labour MPs concerned about plans to increase road tax on older, more polluting vehicles. They had planned to hand in a petition to the Welsh assembly at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay, but police turned back many vehicles and diverted others to a service station west of the city. Advertisement
Forty-two MPs have signed a Commons motion asking the government to reconsider. See how UK petrol and diesel prices have risen
Organisers had hoped 600 to 1,000 lorries would take part in the protest, but Mr Carroll said the turnout was about 500. Police put the figure at 300.
About 90 lorries travelled from Kent, about 150 from Essex, 100 from Bedfordshire and more from other parts of the country.
The demonstration closed the eastbound A40 between the northern roundabout A3220 junction and Paddington from 1000 BST until 1600 BST.
A group of protesters also handed a petition to Downing Street demanding action.HAVE YOUR SAY We have a worldwide reputation for being an expensive country for fuel. No wonder they call us 'treasure island' Adrian, Chester Send us your comments
Speaking outside No 10, driver Alex Ovenden said: "We're here today out of desperation to try and save another UK industry.
"We really do not know what to do about the rising oil prices other than petition the chancellor to reduce fuel duty."
Police intervention
In Wales, police say about 100 lorries took part in a 60-mile convoy protest from Cross Hands, near Llanelli. Other reports put the figure at about 170.
They had planned to hand in a petition to the Welsh assembly at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.
But after police restrictions and instructions to abandon a "go-slow", 50 vehicles headed to a service station west of the city to give it to Conservative assembly members.
The rest of the convoy was turned back.
Martin Palmer, from one of the event's organisers MJ Palmer Transport, said he felt the police had been "heavy-handed".
Fellow protester Martin Arthur, who owns a haulage firm in Usk, Monmouthshire, said: "We have to make ourselves heard or people will keep walking all over us.
"People will have to stop working sooner or later because there's no point working for a loss."
'Drowning'
Organisers from Transaction 2007 led a lunch-time rally at London's Marble Arch. They said the price of fuel was "rocketing" and the government had the power to act, but was not listening.
Mr Carroll said: "We are being murdered and you would not walk past a drowning man."
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Footage of the fuel protestsFootage of the fuel protests
The industry says fuel bill rises mean many UK companies will go to the wall. While the government cannot control global oil prices, hauliers want an "essential user" duty rebate on fuel of between 20p and 25p a litre to ease competition with foreign haulage companies. Martin Arthur, who owns a haulage firm in Usk, Monmouthshire, said: "We have to make ourselves heard or people will keep walking all over us.
"The government gives the coach companies an essential user rebate and if they're essential users so are we," Mr Carroll said. "People will have to stop working sooner or later because there's no point working for a loss."
Commons Transport Committee chairwoman, Louise Ellman MP said ministers should acknowledge widespread concerns over soaring fuel costs but not be forced into policy decisions by protests. Commons Transport Committee chairwoman Louise Ellman said ministers should acknowledge widespread concerns over soaring fuel costs but not be forced into policy decisions by protests.
"Everybody is feeling the impact of the increased cost of living," she said. "That's something the government will have to think about.""Everybody is feeling the impact of the increased cost of living," she said. "That's something the government will have to think about."
LONDON CONVOYS Trucks from Cowbit, Lincolnshire head to A40 in London via M1, A406 and Hanger Lane GyratoryTrucks from M2 Medway Services, Kent head to A40 in London via Vauxhall Bridge, Grosvenor Road, Chelsea Embankment, Finborough Road, Warwick Road, Holland Road and West Cross Route (A3220)Coaches take drivers from parking on A40 to 1130 BST Marble Arch rallyAll vehicles supposed to leave A40 by 1530 BST A Treasury spokesman said the government understood businesses and families were "feeling the pressure from high fuel prices".LONDON CONVOYS Trucks from Cowbit, Lincolnshire head to A40 in London via M1, A406 and Hanger Lane GyratoryTrucks from M2 Medway Services, Kent head to A40 in London via Vauxhall Bridge, Grosvenor Road, Chelsea Embankment, Finborough Road, Warwick Road, Holland Road and West Cross Route (A3220)Coaches take drivers from parking on A40 to 1130 BST Marble Arch rallyAll vehicles supposed to leave A40 by 1530 BST A Treasury spokesman said the government understood businesses and families were "feeling the pressure from high fuel prices".
But they said the "immediate priority" was to encourage oil-producing countries to increase output, that a 2p-per-litre fuel duty increase had been put back from April to October and fuel duty was "still 11% below its 1999 level, in real terms". But they said the "immediate priority" was to encourage oil-producing countries to increase output, that a 2p-per-litre fuel duty increase had been put back from April to October and fuel duty was "still 11% below its 1999 level in real terms".
The government is also under fire over plans to increase road tax for vehicles registered since 2001 that emit higher levels of pollutants. The Treasury also defended its plan to increase vehicle excise duty for vehicles registered since 2001 that emit higher levels of pollutants.
Owners of the most polluting cars could face a rise of as much as £200 - a move the Conservatives say will hit poorer drivers hardest. Owners of the most polluting cars could face a rise of as much as £200, but a spokesman said the policy was needed to "strengthen the environmental incentive to develop and purchase fuel-efficient cars".
Some Labour MPs have signed a motion calling on the Treasury to think again about the retrospective aspects of the policy that they say is "unfair" to people who have already bought their cars.
Business Secretary John Hutton told the BBC the chancellor was "listening to what people are saying about vehicle excise duty".Business Secretary John Hutton told the BBC the chancellor was "listening to what people are saying about vehicle excise duty".
His comments came ahead of his speech about alternative power sources at the British Atlantic Survey meeting in Cambridge later on Tuesday. He also said the government wanted UK hauliers to have "a fair deal" and the chancellor would have "to consider how he wants to go forward on this".
Justice Secretary Jack Straw told the BBC he "fully understood" the hauliers' concerns, but "government revenues have to come from somewhere".Justice Secretary Jack Straw told the BBC he "fully understood" the hauliers' concerns, but "government revenues have to come from somewhere".
He said any decisions made about increased road tax would be made in the autumn statement.
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