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Hauliers protesting at fuel cost Lorry fuel tax protest hits roads
(about 1 hour later)
Hundreds of lorry drivers angry at soaring fuel prices are travelling in convoy to protests in central London and along the M4 in Wales. Hundreds of lorry drivers angry at soaring fuel prices are protesting in London and the along the M4 in Wales.
Hauliers say diesel prices topping 120p a litre, plus a planned 2p fuel tax rise, will drive firms "to the wall". A convoy of trucks closed the A40 into the city as hauliers parked up and went to join a rally in central London before petitioning 10 Downing Street.
Protesters are demanding an "essential user" duty rebate for HGV drivers. In Wales, a two-mile line of lorries crawled along the M4 towards Cardiff.
It comes as Chancellor Alistair Darling prepares to meet Labour MPs concerned about plans to increase road tax on older, more polluting vehicles. Hauliers say diesel prices topping 120p a litre, plus the government's planned 2p fuel tax rise, will drive firms "to the wall". They want a fuel tax rebate.
The protest comes as Chancellor Alistair Darling prepares for a meeting next week with Labour MPs concerned about plans to increase road tax on older, more polluting vehicles.
Forty-two MPs have signed a Commons motion asking the government to reconsider.Forty-two MPs have signed a Commons motion asking the government to reconsider.
See how UK petrol and diesel prices have risen See how UK petrol and diesel prices have risen
Amid horn beeps, convoys of lorries from the M2 in Kent and other sites around the UK are making their way to London. Organisers hoped 600 to 1,000 lorries would take part in the protest, which has closed the eastbound A40 between the northern roundabout A3220 junction and Paddington from 1000 BST until 1600 BST.
About 90 lorries set off from Kent early on Tuesday morning, about 150 from Essex, 100 from Bedfordshire and more from other parts of the country.
UK'S CHEAPEST & MOST EXPENSIVE FUEL Cheapest unleaded: 108.9p (Mansfield) Most expensive unleaded: 126.9p (Newport, Isle of Wight) Cheapest diesel: 115.9p (Banff) Most expensive diesel: 140.9p (Isle of Mull) Latest figures from PetrolPrices.com Car tax rates guideUK'S CHEAPEST & MOST EXPENSIVE FUEL Cheapest unleaded: 108.9p (Mansfield) Most expensive unleaded: 126.9p (Newport, Isle of Wight) Cheapest diesel: 115.9p (Banff) Most expensive diesel: 140.9p (Isle of Mull) Latest figures from PetrolPrices.com Car tax rates guide
Motorists have been warned to expect major delays. In Wales, about 150 drivers took part in a 60-mile convoy protest from Cross Hands, near Llanelli.
The eastbound A40 was due to be closed from 1000 to 1600BST between the northern roundabout A3220 junction and Paddington as lorry drivers left their vehicles to head to 10 Downing Street to hand in a petition. They were due to hand in a petition to the Welsh assembly at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.
In Wales, about 100 drivers began a 60-mile convoy protest from Cross Hands, near Llanelli. But after police restrictions and instructions to abandon a "go-slow", 50 vehicles headed to a service station west of the city to give it to Conservative assembly members.
They had been due to hand in a petition to the Senedd in Cardiff Bay but instead were heading to a service station west of the city to hand it to Conservative Welsh Assembly members. The rest of the convoy was turned back.
HAVE YOUR SAY We have a worldwide reputation for being an expensive country for fuel. No wonder they call us 'treasure island' Adrian, Chester Send us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAY We have a worldwide reputation for being an expensive country for fuel. No wonder they call us 'treasure island' Adrian, Chester Send us your comments
The convoy was delayed by police issuing public order notices to drivers instructing them to drive at at least 40mph, depending on conditions, and to keep to the inside lane of the motorway. Organisers from protest group Transaction 2007 led a lunch-time rally at London's Marble Arch. They said the price of fuel was "rocketing" and the government had the power to act, but was not listening.
Mike Presneill, of protest group Transaction 2007, said: "Fuel is rocketing. The government has the power to act but appears not to be listening. Hundreds of UK transport firms are being driven to the wall." Haulage company boss Peter Carroll said: "We are being murdered and you would not walk past a drowning man."
Haulage company boss Peter Carroll, another of the protest organisers, told BBC News: "The main thing we're hoping to achieve is to get the government to recognise that this isn't a problem, or even a big problem, it's an absolute crisis." The industry says fuel bill rises mean many UK companies will go to the wall. While the government cannot control global oil prices, it wants an "essential user" duty rebate on fuel of between 20p and 25p a litre to ease competition with foreign haulage companies.
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Aerial footage of the protestAerial footage of the protest
With each lorry now costing £1,000 per week in fuel and bills up £40,000 a month at his firm since last October, he said hundreds of UK companies would go out of business if nothing was done and they would be replaced by continental hauliers using cheaper fuel from abroad. The government is coming under mounting pressure over fuel prices and plans for a road tax increase.
He said drivers recognised the government could not control global oil prices but said an "essential user" duty rebate of between 20p and 25p per litre for lorries would help firms compete on a "level playing field" with foreign hauliers. Commons Transport Committee chairwoman, Louise Ellman MP said ministers should acknowledge widespread concerns over soaring fuel costs but not be forced into policy decisions by protests.
Mr Carroll said a similar rebate scheme was already operating in the UK for bus companies. "Everybody is feeling the impact of the increased cost of living," she said. "That's something the government will have to think about."
He added: "If they do that, we keep in business, we continue to pay our taxes and play our part in UK business and also the government wins because we take some of the inflationary pressure out of the economy.
LONDON CONVOYS Trucks from Cowbit, Lincolnshire head to A40 in London via M1, A406 and Hanger Lane GyratoryTrucks from M2 Medway Services, Kent head to A40 in London via Vauxhall Bridge, Grosvenor Road, Chelsea Embankment, Finborough Road, Warwick Road, Holland Road and West Cross Route (A3220)Coaches take drivers from parking on A40 to 1130 BST Marble Arch rallyAll vehicles supposed to leave A40 by 1530 BSTLONDON CONVOYS Trucks from Cowbit, Lincolnshire head to A40 in London via M1, A406 and Hanger Lane GyratoryTrucks from M2 Medway Services, Kent head to A40 in London via Vauxhall Bridge, Grosvenor Road, Chelsea Embankment, Finborough Road, Warwick Road, Holland Road and West Cross Route (A3220)Coaches take drivers from parking on A40 to 1130 BST Marble Arch rallyAll vehicles supposed to leave A40 by 1530 BST
"Because all the time that our fuel is going up, we're trying to push those costs onto our customers, who in turn try to push it onto members of the general public." A Treasury spokesman said the government understood business and families were "feeling the pressure from high fuel prices".
The government is coming under mounting pressure over fuel prices and its plans to increase road tax for vehicles registered since 2001 which emit higher levels of pollutants. But they said the "immediate priority" was to encourage oil-producing countries to increase output, that a 2p-per-litre fuel duty increase had been put back from April to October and fuel duty was "still 11% below its 1999 level, in real terms".
Owners of the most polluting cars could face a tax rise of as much as £200 - a move which the Conservatives say will hit poorer drivers hardest. The government is also under fire over plans to increase road tax for vehicles registered since 2001 that emit higher levels of pollutants.
Owners of the most polluting cars could face a rise of as much as £200 - a move the Conservatives say will hit poorer drivers hardest.
Some Labour MPs have signed a motion calling on the Treasury to think again about the retrospective aspects of the policy that they say is "unfair" to people who have already bought their cars.Some Labour MPs have signed a motion calling on the Treasury to think again about the retrospective aspects of the policy that they say is "unfair" to people who have already bought their cars.
One Labour MP says the government risks alienating "Mondeo man" - the name given in the past to middle-income voters Labour needed to woo if it wanted to defeat the Conservatives. Business Secretary John Hutton told the BBC the chancellor was "listening to what people are saying about vehicle excise duty".
Environment minister Joan Ruddock has said the government "could not lose sight of the environment agenda", but Business Secretary John Hutton told the BBC the chancellor was "listening to what people are saying about vehicle excise duty".
"We are trying to get this balance right between encouraging choices to go green but not hammering people," he said.
His comments came ahead of his speech about alternative power sources at the British Atlantic Survey meeting in Cambridge later on Tuesday.His comments came ahead of his speech about alternative power sources at the British Atlantic Survey meeting in Cambridge later on Tuesday.
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