£1 litre drives protesters back to the fuel blockades

 

By LUCY BALLINGER - More by this author » Last updated at 23:54pm on 11th November 2007 Comments (20)

The average price of petrol broke through the £1 barrier last week for the first time

 

 

 

 

Fuel protesters could cripple Britain with rolling roadblocks within the next ten days in response to soaring petrol prices, it was claimed last night.

 

The average price of petrol broke through the £1 barrier last week for the first time, angering hauliers.

 

And Transaction 2007, the reincarnation of organisations involved in the 2000 fuel protests, has warned of imminent action.

 

A spokesman for the group said: "I think it will happen in the next seven to ten days. I can't say much about it."

During the blockades of seven years ago hospital operations had to be cancelled because NHS staff could not get to work, while supermarkets were forced to ration food because of shortages.

 

As the cost of oil soared towards $100 (£47.70) a barrel last week, retailers warned that prices at the pumps will rise by a further 3p a litre before Christmas.

 

According to the AA, the average petrol price in the UK last week was 100.08p per litre. At the start of the year, it was 88.32p.

 

Fuel protester and member of Transaction 2007 Andrew Spence, a former BNP candidate, said he'd attended a 'secret summit' at which business leaders had demanded a new blockade.

 

The father-of-three said: "We'll be firing a message to the Government which can't be ignored in the next week."

 

He confirmed that protests would "definitely" include blockades of terminals.

But Mr Spence, 37, a farmer from Leadgate, County Durham, assured drivers their interests would come first.

 

"This isn't a case of our group flexing its muscles," he said. "This is to send a message to the Treasury that drivers can't cope."

The Road Haulage Association said hauliers were frustrated by the high prices and said duty rates were much higher in Britain than in other European countries.

 

Jack Semple, RHA director of policy, said: "Prices have gone up every week for the past ten weeks.

 

"The impact of that is quite a severe one for very many hauliers. There shouldn't be an increase in fuel duty at a time of clear volatility in oil prices."

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