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Hauliers protesting at fuel cost Hauliers protesting at fuel cost
(30 minutes later)
Hundreds of lorry drivers angry at soaring fuel prices are setting off for protests in central London and along the M4 in Wales. Hundreds of lorry drivers angry at soaring fuel prices are travelling in convoy to protests in central London and 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".Hauliers say diesel prices topping 120p a litre, plus a planned 2p fuel tax rise, will drive firms "to the wall".
Protesters are demanding an "essential user" duty rebate for HGV drivers.Protesters are demanding an "essential user" duty rebate for HGV drivers.
It comes as Chancellor Alistair Darling prepares to meet Labour MPs concerned about plans to increase road tax on older, more polluting vehicles.It comes as Chancellor Alistair Darling prepares to meet Labour MPs concerned about plans to increase road tax on older, more polluting vehicles.
class="bodl" href="#petrol">Click to see how UK petrol and diesel prices have risen Forty-two MPs have signed a Commons motion asking the government to reconsider.
A convoy of lorries, led by drivers from Kent, has begun to make its way to central London before handing a petition to 10 Downing Street. Motorists have been warned to expect major delays. name="link"> class="bodl" href="#petrol">See how UK petrol and diesel prices have risen
A convoy of lorries from the M2 in Kent has begun to make its way to central London before handing a petition to 10 Downing Street.
A second group of hauliers will be driving from the M25 London orbital through the centre of the city to Whitehall.
Motorists have been warned to expect major delays, with the eastbound A40 due to be closed for much of the day.
UK'S CHEAPEST & MOST EXPENSIVE FUEL Cheapest unleaded: 107.9p (Gateshead) Most expensive unleaded: 125p (Northampton) Cheapest diesel: 117.9p (Mansfield) Most expensive diesel: 138p (Hexham) Latest figures from PetrolPrices.comUK'S CHEAPEST & MOST EXPENSIVE FUEL Cheapest unleaded: 107.9p (Gateshead) Most expensive unleaded: 125p (Northampton) Cheapest diesel: 117.9p (Mansfield) Most expensive diesel: 138p (Hexham) Latest figures from PetrolPrices.com
In Wales, organisers say around 100 drivers have signed up to take part in a 60-mile convoy protest from Cross Hands, near Llanelli, to the Senedd in Cardiff Bay, where they too will hand in a petition. In Wales, about 100 drivers were due to take part in a 60-mile convoy protest from Cross Hands, near Llanelli, to the Senedd in Cardiff Bay, where they too will hand in a petition.
Mike Presneill, of Transaction 2007, who is helping organise the London protest, 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." Mike Presneill, of Transaction 2007, who is helping organise the Kent to London protest, 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, 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."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."
With each lorry now costing £1,000 per week in fuel, he said hundreds of UK companies would go out of business if nothing was done, to be replaced by continental hauliers using cheaper fuel from abroad.With each lorry now costing £1,000 per week in fuel, he said hundreds of UK companies would go out of business if nothing was done, to be replaced by continental hauliers using cheaper fuel from abroad.
'Inflationary pressure''Inflationary pressure'
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.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.
Mr Carroll said a similar rebate scheme was already operating in the UK for bus companies.Mr Carroll said a similar rebate scheme was already operating in the UK for bus companies.
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.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.
"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.""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."
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.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.
Owners of the most polluting cars could face a tax rise of as much as £200 - a move which the Conservatives say the increase will hit poorer drivers hardest. 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.
A group of 35 Labour MPs have signed a motion calling on the Treasury to think again about the retrospective aspects of the policy. 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.
The increase is unfair to people who bought their cars a year ago, not knowing that the government was going to put that road tax on Ronnie Campbell, MPThe increase is unfair to people who bought their cars a year ago, not knowing that the government was going to put that road tax on Ronnie Campbell, MP
They are expected to warn Mr Darling the government could lose votes over the issue. 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.
One Labour MP warned the party risked alienating "Mondeo man" - the name given in the past to middle-income voters Labour needed to woo if it wanted to defeat the Conservatives. 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".
A Treasury spokesman on Monday said the government was aware of their concerns. "We are trying to get this balance right between encouraging choices to go green but not hammering people," he said.
But environment minister Joan Ruddock said that, while she sympathised with motorists, the government "could not lose sight of the environment agenda". His comments came ahead of his speech about alternative power sources at the British Atlantic Survey meeting in Cambridge later on Tuesday.
She denied the retrospective aspect of the policy was unfair, saying: "Over a 10-year period... I think the direction we have been going in has been clear to people at the time," she said.
Labour MP Ronnie Campbell, who framed the MPs' motion, told the BBC: "The increase is unfair to people who bought their cars a year ago, not knowing that the government was going to put that road tax on."
He said the government was in danger of making the same sort of mistake as when it abolished the 10p income tax rate, and was accused of penalising poorer families.
Mr Campbell, MP for Blyth Valley, also called on the government to think again over plans to raise the cost of fuel duty by 2p per litre from the autumn.
Meanwhile, Business Secretary John Hutton is to tell conference delegates Britain needs to become more energy efficient.
The country must invest substantial amounts in alternative sources of power, such as wind and wave farms, he will tell the British Atlantic Survey meeting in Cambridge.
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