Fuel protesters vow to continue

A handful of protesters gathered at Avonmouth docks

Fuel protesters say they are planning to stage more demonstrations in an attempt to place the cost of petrol and diesel higher up the political agenda.

They began gathering at oil refineries and depots in England and Wales on Friday night.

Police say there are no blockades and have urged motorists not to start panic buying.

The move follows large-scale protests last September, which brought the UK to a virtual standstill.

Officials at a number of refineries say the scale of the protests is being wound down.

Haulier Phil Reece: "Strong public support"

Phil Reece, one of the organisers of a protest at a Texaco refinery in Pembrokeshire, Wales, said they were asking drivers not to deliver non-essential fuel.

"The fuel that we are not allowing out, they haven't attempted to move out," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Public support for the action in west Wales was strong, he added.

"As we were travelling down to the refineries last night there were people on almost every junction, people on bridges, people coming out of houses cheering," said Mr Reece. "The support seemed to be far greater than it ever has before."

'Behave normally'

Ray Holloway of the Petrol Retailers Association said the public should avoid panic-buying.

"I think the best advice to give at this moment in time is to behave normally," he told the BBC.

"Simply buy today what you would buy on any Saturday. That means you won't be inconvenienced next week and nor will others."

Buy today what you would buy on any Saturday. That means you won't be inconvenienced next week and nor will others

Ray Holloway, Petrol Retailers Association

The protests started on Friday evening when truckers gathered at Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire, west Wales, before setting off in a slow convoy to the Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock oil refineries, both in Pembrokeshire.

David Handley, chairman of protest group the People's Fuel Lobby, said protesters had also gathered in Avonmouth in Bristol, Stanlow in Cheshire, north Wales, Manchester, Kent, Essex and Birmingham.

Mr Handley was at the Avonmouth Docks protest in Bristol, where police said the number of protesters dwindled overnight from 40 to 25.

Inspector Adrian Goldie, of Avon and Somerset police, said: "It has been a peaceful protest without any trouble and there are no blockades in place."

'Reminder' to government

A spokeswoman for Cheshire police said between 70 and 100 protesters arrived at the entrance to Stanlow refinery, the scene of last year's first demonstrations, on Friday night.

Police said numbers had dispersed by dawn and there were no incidents.

We want to give the government a reminder that we are unhappy and that they can't forget about us

Mark Greene

Protesters separated into two groups at the Texaco and Total refineries in Pembrokeshire, where they said they could remain until next Thursday's elections.

Leading protester Mark Greene, from Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire, said: "We want to give the government a reminder that we are unhappy and that they can't forget about us. We want fuel prices back on the political agenda.

'Public support'

"There is nothing in Labour's manifesto and we want the government to wake up.

Petrol supplies ran very low during September's protests

"We have the public support - we are doing this for them."

In the last Budget the government took 2p off a litre of ultra low sulphur petrol, and 3p off ultra low sulphur diesel.

They also reduced road tax for hauliers.

But on Friday the Pembrokeshire protesters said these measures did not go far enough.

Appeal for calm

And panic buying, which started in south Wales had spread to west Wales by the time protesters reached their destinations.

A spokesman for Dyfed Powys police said: "We are asking people to remain calm and not to panic buy because it will only create more problems.

"There is no indication of any shortage of fuel."

During last September's protests, car manufacturers came within a week of shutdown, according to government sources.

Defence and aerospace industries were also within a week of "serious problems" and steel makers had been on the brink of a 40% reduction in output.