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Truckers take fuel fight to London
LORRY horns blared out as truckers lapped up public support during their protest against record-high fuel cost increases.
LORRY horns blared out as truckers lapped up public support during their protest against record-high fuel cost increases.About 70 vehicles converged on the centre of London as drivers voiced their anger at a 30 per cent rise in diesel pump prices in the last 12 months.
Among them were truckers from Spalding and other parts of the region, who headed down the A1 early yesterday to meet up with other hauliers.
The main focal point of the protest was the presentation of a symbolic coffin to Derek Wyatt, Labour MP for the Kent constituency of Sittingbourne and Sheppey.
The protestors said the coffin represented the hundreds of hauliers who had gone bankrupt due to high prices at the pump.
Joe Cook, of JS Cook and Sons Transport, based in Moulton Chapel, near Spalding, draped a Union Flag over the coffin before presenting it outside the Houses of Parliament.
First to arrive in the capital was driver Mick Clifton (37), who works for Mr Cook.
He said: "The price of fuel at the moment is ridiculous. We just don't know whether our jobs are going to be safe.
"If Gordon Brown doesn't do something about this soon, he'll be out of office."
Travelling down from Lincolnshire was Melvyn Bright (57), who runs Mel's Taxi Service, in Surfleet, near Spalding.
Mr Bright said: "The price of diesel at the moment is absolutely disgusting. All we are trying to do is earn a living. If fuel prices go up, my earnings go down."
Jason Harrison, who travelled down with Mr Cook, said the day was successful, and they would now be keeping up the pressure.
Protesters handed in a letter summarising their grievances together with a copy of the Burns Inquiry undertaken more than two years ago.
The independent inquiry into the effect of fuel taxation found that the level of diesel duty in the UK was higher than the average EU rate.
Typical articulated vehicles now cost up to 1,000 to refuel every week.
Supporting the protest in London was Road Haulage Association chief executive Roger King, who urged the Government to abandon plans to raise fuel duty by 2p next October.
Mr King said: "We support a peaceful and legal protest, and that is what this is. We think such an exercise helps underscore the real feelings hauliers have.
"We forecast that if prices continue to rise, hundreds of hauliers are going to go out of business."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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