Only handful support fuel protests

12 April 2012

Nationwide protests over rising fuel prices failed to garner much support, with only a handful of demonstrators braving the cold to show their concern.

The protests were planned at oil refineries across the country by umbrella group Transaction 2007, which is unhappy about rising fuel prices and the 2p rise in fuel duty planned for the new year.

Announcement of the action sparked fearful memories of seven years ago, when blockades led by the Transaction 2000 group caused widespread fuel shortages and long queues for petrol.

But most of Saturday's demonstrations attracted only a small number of protesters.

At Purfleet in Essex, where a demonstration was due to be staged, a lone pensioner arrived to attack the Government's tax policy.

Retired care assistant 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.

"I am fed up of this Labour government. This is tax on the poor because, when you have to pay so much for fuel, it knocks on to everything else."

The largest turnout was at the giant Fawley refinery in Southampton, where there was a gathering of 25 protesters, and drivers going in and out of the depot gave toots of support.

Around eight protesters gathered at the gates of the Ellesmere refinery in Cheshire. 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. It is not a case of us declaring war on the Government. All we are trying to do is to get them to talk to us."

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