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| Low turnout for fuel price demos | Low turnout for fuel price demos |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Nationwide protests against the rising cost of fuel failed to attract as many demonstrators as organisers hoped. | |
| Protests were planned at oil refineries across the UK, but only a small number of people braved the cold to turn up. | Protests were planned at oil refineries across the UK, but only a small number of people braved the cold to turn up. |
| In Southampton, 25 people attended the largest planned demonstration but another protest in Essex consisted of a single pensioner. | |
| Organisers insisted the fight against rising fuel prices would continue into the New Year. | Organisers insisted the fight against rising fuel prices would continue into the New Year. |
| Rebates | Rebates |
| Saturday's protests were called by an umbrella group - Transaction 2007 - which represents farmers and road hauliers, among other road users. | |
| The group is concerned that rising fuel prices - now above £1 per litre - are hurting its members financially. It wants the government to cut fuel duty and introduce rebates for what it calls "essential" road users. | The group is concerned that rising fuel prices - now above £1 per litre - are hurting its members financially. It wants the government to cut fuel duty and introduce rebates for what it calls "essential" road users. |
| It also wants extra duties to be imposed on non-UK lorries that come into the country on business. | It also wants extra duties to be imposed on non-UK lorries that come into the country on business. |
| Fifteen fuel price protesters arrived at the giant Fawley refinery in Southampton, but at Grangemouth in Falkirk, no-one turned up. | Fifteen fuel price protesters arrived at the giant Fawley refinery in Southampton, but at Grangemouth in Falkirk, no-one turned up. |
| In a separate protest organised by the Scottish branch of the Road Haulage Association, a convoy of 45 trucks travelled across central Scotland. | In a separate protest organised by the Scottish branch of the Road Haulage Association, a convoy of 45 trucks travelled across central Scotland. |
| Around eight protesters gathered at Chester Services, on the M56, before moving to a protest point at the gates of the Ellesmere Port refinery, but the demonstration was later abandoned. | Around eight protesters gathered at Chester Services, on the M56, before moving to a protest point at the gates of the Ellesmere Port refinery, but the demonstration was later abandoned. |
| Loud and clear | Loud and clear |
| Local organiser Tom Houghton, a beef farmer from nearby Sandbach, denied the action was a failure and said: "We are sending the message to Mr Brown loud and clear." | Local organiser Tom Houghton, a beef farmer from nearby Sandbach, denied the action was a failure and said: "We are sending the message to Mr Brown loud and clear." |
| He warned: "It only takes a few trucks to bring this country to gridlock. I hope it doesn't come to that but it could easily happen given the seriousness of the situation." | |
| Any disruption to fuel supply would cause a great deal of inconvenience to people Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Why have prices risen? | Any disruption to fuel supply would cause a great deal of inconvenience to people Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Why have prices risen? |
| There were no lorry drivers at the fuel depot at Purfleet, Essex, where a demonstration was due to be staged - but there was a protest from a lone pensioner. | There were no lorry drivers at the fuel depot at Purfleet, Essex, where a demonstration was due to be staged - but there was a protest from a lone pensioner. |
| June Walker, 61, of Rainham, Essex, said: "I've got nothing to do with the haulage industry. I'm just a pensioner who pays £57 to fill up a Peugeot 307." | June Walker, 61, of Rainham, Essex, said: "I've got nothing to do with the haulage industry. I'm just a pensioner who pays £57 to fill up a Peugeot 307." |
| Eight supporters turned out for a protest in Cardiff, outside the Texaco refinery at the city's Roath Dock. There were also eight protesters at Jarrow - all on foot. | Eight supporters turned out for a protest in Cardiff, outside the Texaco refinery at the city's Roath Dock. There were also eight protesters at Jarrow - all on foot. |
| Protester Rob Muir, a 42-year-old farmer from Wolsingham, Co Durham, was disappointed more people had not joined the demonstration. | Protester Rob Muir, a 42-year-old farmer from Wolsingham, Co Durham, was disappointed more people had not joined the demonstration. |
| He said: "We just roll over and take it in this country. | He said: "We just roll over and take it in this country. |
| "If this was France it would be a different story. There are eight of us here and I thought there would be a lot more than that." | "If this was France it would be a different story. There are eight of us here and I thought there would be a lot more than that." |
| Back after Christmas | Back after Christmas |
| The chairman of one of the groups involved in the protest - Farmers for Action - warned that if the government refused to negotiate his members would continue to protest into the New Year. | The chairman of one of the groups involved in the protest - Farmers for Action - warned that if the government refused to negotiate his members would continue to protest into the New Year. |
| David Handley - who helped lead a successful fuel-tax protest in 2000 - insisted he was not disappointed with the turnout. | David Handley - who helped lead a successful fuel-tax protest in 2000 - insisted he was not disappointed with the turnout. |
| He said: "If the government don't sit down with us then we will be back after Christmas and it won't be as pleasant as it is now - if you put a rat up a drainpipe and he can't do anything to get out, what's he going to do?" | |
| The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform said the situation was being monitored and plans were in place to "mitigate any future fuel supply disruptions". | The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform said the situation was being monitored and plans were in place to "mitigate any future fuel supply disruptions". |
| Meanwhile a coalition of leading environmentalists have called on the government to improve public transport and encourage more efficient vehicles, rather than cut fuel tax. | Meanwhile a coalition of leading environmentalists have called on the government to improve public transport and encourage more efficient vehicles, rather than cut fuel tax. |
| Tony Bosworth of Friends of the Earth said: "If the government is serious about tackling climate change it must not cave in to pressure to make road travel even cheaper." | Tony Bosworth of Friends of the Earth said: "If the government is serious about tackling climate change it must not cave in to pressure to make road travel even cheaper." |
| In October duty on fuel rose by 2p per litre. Duty rises over the last decade add up to 25% - less than the rate of inflation. But oil prices have gone up 270% in the same period. | In October duty on fuel rose by 2p per litre. Duty rises over the last decade add up to 25% - less than the rate of inflation. But oil prices have gone up 270% in the same period. |