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From The Times
May 28, 2008
Fuel protest: lorry drivers flex their muscles
Hundreds of lorry drivers converged on London yesterday to protest at rising fuel costs. Police closed a section of the A40 — one of the capital’s main arteries — so that it could be used as a massive lorry park.
From there the drivers made their way to a rally at Marble Arch, where they told of jobs under threat, severe belt-tightening and family companies facing closure.
Early yesterday morning, as the convoys set off from Kent, Essex and all points north and west, they were greeted with spontaneous applause from motorists, who are also feeling the pinch with petrol prices rising to an average of about 114p a litre and diesel to 126p.
The hauliers were in good spirits, with horns blaring and banners waving, but by the time they reached Marble Arch — where a sign lamented “Dying for a rebate” — the mood was more sombre.
The rally organisers, TransAction 2007, had hoped for 1,000 lorries but seemed satisfied with the 200-300 parked in rows on the A40, and another 100 that joined a protest in Wales.
Peter Knight, from Kent, said that the industry was in “complete meltdown” and that he felt like painting “HM Charity” on the side of his 23 lorries. His daughter, Sharon Knight, who helps to run the family company, claimed that the size of the protest proved there was “a groundswell” of support for the hauliers’ demands.
At lunchtime a delegation from TransAction 2007 headed for Downing Street to deliver a letter asking Gordon Brown for an urgent meeting and warning him that “this situation is a crisis”.
The letter said: “We are not faceless multinational companies — we are small and medium family companies built up over generations with hard work and determination. Our colleagues are being driven to despair and bankruptcy on a daily basis.”
The lobby group wants an “essential user rebate” on fuel duty to allow the British haulage industry to compete with companies in European countries where fuel is considerably cheaper. The group also cited the rebates given to bus companies in Britain.
Chris Lewis, 62, an independent haulier from Oswestry, Shropshire, said that he wanted “a simple thing — just give us a rebate and bring us on a level playing field with Europe”. He added: “All my earnings are going on fuel.”
Mr Lewis even wondered whether he would be able to afford a forthcoming holiday that he booked last year.He said: “I’m reaching the point where I feel like parking the truck up.”
That, he added, may be the only way of getting the Government’s attention, because of the knock-on effects for deliveries of food, clothing and other goods. “If we parked all the trucks up it would stop everything,” he said.
He was not the only one to think that more direct action may soon be needed. Jose Girvan, 36, a driver from Ruislip, West London, said that he was struggling with rising mortgage costs and other bills and feared that his job might be on the line: “I’m just waiting for my governor to say that he’s packing it in.”
Expressing his disappointment at the scale of yesterday’s protest, he said: “I would like to have caused a bit more of a disruption. We were talking earlier about blocking off all the bridges \ and that’s what needs to happen. It needs to happen regularly. I’d give up a day a week to do that.”
Jim Jordan, 64, who operates four lorries from his base in Shrewsbury, has calculated that it costs him about £33.48 an hour to run a typical heavy goods vehicle, of which £15.85 goes to the Treasury. “It’s a horrific amount of money,” he said. He had little hope of bluer skies to come, saying: “I think it’s going to be rough going.”
Money Central: Ten easy ways to drive down your petrol costs
its very simple - the more they pay the more it costs us as garages and supermarkets depend on the hualage network for supplies - so its in all our interests for the lorries fuel to be subsidised
F C, newcastle upon tyne , uk
the main issue is that the small 'owner operators' do not have the financial clout of the large multi national freight hauliers. the 'big boys' purchase fuel future contracts on the commodity markets to stabilize their costs. this strangles the small boys as they have to buy fuel at todays price.
larry, lambeth, canada
A simple 50% cut in the overall size of the civil service, their pensions and number of Gov. advisors would save enough to start with :)
ed, kingston,
Lets say they get the rebate from the goverment. To pay for this the goverment must increase taxes. So the people pay. Lets say they don't get the rebate. They then must pass on the increased cost of fuel. So the people pay. The difference is??????
Eric, Cedar Grove, USA
So if the hauliers get a petrol tax rebate, how will the resultant tax deficit be made up? From other motorists maybe?
Paul, Coventry,
Brown said he was going to tackle food & fuel prices. The only way he deals with things is to increase taxes. Any action he takes to redress things is only because he's been found out . It's taken 10 years for people to wake up. He's ruined the economy, but blames outside influences.
John Blair, Longfield, UK
Will this government PLEASE stop hiding behind the GREEN issue when it comes to fuel tax? Other EU countries are managing their GREEN policies on half the levy! Use the increased VAT revenue on rising fuel prices to offset a reduction to help everyone who needs to buy fuel to carry on working!
Victoria Woods, London, England
Its time the whole country got behind the Lorry Drivers.
Reduce the Tax on Fuel, stop just ripping people off.
Stop trying to save the world and look after the people of this county.
Nemo
Jon Nemo, Llanelli, UK
I can understand hauliers being upest by the small amount competition that comes across the Channel with cheaper fuel in their tanks.But.They compete,in the main, with one another based on the same fuel costs
We didnt save the widget manufacturer from death and they have real competion from overseas
robert everitt, wolverhampton,
In theory hauliers and those in the service industry shuld put their transport costs up and pass the cost on but eventually its the consumer that bears the brunt and Gordo moans that this will affect inflation.
Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better and not under NuLab
N Morgan, Stockport, UK
Why didn't the big hauliers participate in this demonstration?
How much of the goods could be moved by rail?
Chris, Birmingham,
Well done to the Hauliers. Keep the pressure on. And come the next election, I hope there will be an HGV tailing Gordon at all times.
Donna Walker, Effingham, England
To all lorry drivers and car drivers - google "running a car on water" it's a hydrogen kit that slashes fuel consumption by a whoppng 50% - works on diesel, petrol and LPG. There lies your rebate lads - but not from government or oil companies who want to keep this little piece of technology quiet.
James Spicer, yeovil, UK
You have a choice here and that is to use HHO. Reduce the amount of money that the leeching Government and Oil companies are steling from you by 50%. i.e. hit them here they feel it most - in their fat pockets! Don't rely on government to solve your problems - only people can do it together with HHO
John Carter, Newcastle, UK
david from carstairs, absolutely right. spot on. put your prices up and still deliver a good service and you WILL keep your customers.
matthew booth, monkey mia, australia
i drive a lorry all over britain. for too long hauliers have been cutting each others throats by reducing rates. those who are working cheap cannot survive and good ridance to them for us who want to make a reasonable living. its simple. if your costs go up you increase rates or refuse the work
david, carstairs,
The Iraq war has doubled the price of oil.
Shan Morgain, Newport, UK
This goverment will not listern to anything that the lorry drivers have to say, they could lower the tax on fuel easy but they wont do that it's making money for them. this goverment don't want use to work in this country. I say the port need to be blocked to stop the continental lorrys coming in
Gary Norton, nottingham, England
We need a genral election and fast kick Labour out for good. They are not for the working class's. We need to say goodbye to Gordon Brown and his merry men
Gary Norton, nottingham, England