Fuel price protests underway
Prices at the pumps remain high this winter
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Saturday, 15, Dec 2007 11:27
Protests are taking place across Britain over the high price of fuel today.
Groups of lorry drivers, farmers and motorists have gathered at refineries up and down the country to voice their opposition to high taxation levels on petrol.
High crude oil prices have pushed garage prices upwards in recent months but protestors say recent falls on the global stage have not resulted in similar drops in Britain.
Protest organiser Tom Houghton told BBC News 24 today's protests were a "small warm-up" to warn the government that "something's got to be done".
Referring to the fuel protests of 2000, when demonstrators blockaded Britain's refineries and looked close to shutting the country's transport infrastructure down, he added: "We do not want to get back to 2000 but if we have to put rolling roads on and bring it to a head we will do."
A separate protest by the Road Haulage Association will see a rolling blockade taking place in Scotland.
The government has said it will act against unlawful protests and is monitoring the situation.
Not all support the protestors. Environmental group Friends of the Earth UK said the government must stand firm in the face of pressure to cut fuel taxes.
"If the government is serious about tackling climate change it must not cave in to pressure to make road travel even cheaper," the organisation's Welsh director Gordon James said.
"Instead it should force car manufacturers to make more fuel-efficient vehicles and invest in getting people and freight off our roads and on to cleaner alternatives instead."
Protestors say the government plans to add an extra 2p on fuel tax in April next year.