Sunday, 10 September, 2000, 14:46 GMT 15:46 UK Fuel dwindles as protests spread

More filling stations are running out of petrol as protests at refineries, fuel depots and on major roads spread around the country. Amid reports of continued panic buying, campaigners against the rising price of road fuel have ignored the government's refusal to be swayed.

Drivers say rising fuel prices will drive them out of business As protests continued at seven sites - two in Wales, two in Bristol, one in Greater Manchester, one in Cheshire and one in Lincolnshire - Shell said 60 of its stations in the North West had run dry and the toll was expected to rise if the protests continued.

There are reports of many filling stations running low in the Bristol area, York and North Yorkshire - where some outlets have already closed.

Dozens of tanker delivery lorries were prevented from leaving the oil depots, either due to the blockades or because company managers decided it was not safe for their drivers.

Go-slow

Farmers and lorry drivers managed to block the A1 with a "go-slow" at Alnwick in Northumberland over Sunday lunchtime.

Charlie Armstrong, one of the organising farmers, said: "This is going to be the start of many similar protests here and we're going to carry on until we get some results."

This is going to be the start of many similar protests here and we're going to carry on until we get some results Protester Charlie Armstrong

Jeff O'Connell, another protester, said people have "run out of patience" and that the consumers will have to pay the additional costs.

Further protests are planned in the north of England over the next few days, including on the A697 at Coldstream and the M6 north of Carlisle.

In Wales farmers and hauliers are planning a convoy of slow moving vehicles to hold up traffic on the A55 between Bangor and Wrexham.

"Big day"

Campaigners in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, said Sunday would be their "big day" after protests on Saturday at a Texaco plant remained peaceful.

Access there had not been blocked and production remained unaffected because most of the distribution is through pipelines and by sea.

Pumps are running dry

On Saturday night protesters began a demonstration outside a fuel distribution depot in Trafford Park, Greater Manchester.

About 20 people and several trucks gathered outside the depot, which supplies several retailers.

Around 40 peaceful protesters gathered to spend a third night outside Europe's biggest oil refinery, the massive Shell complex in Stanlow, near Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

In Bristol, about 10 vehicles sealed off the depot shared by Texaco and Total Fina in the city's Avonmouth docks area while another two trucks were outside an Esso depot nearby.

Supply problems

On Sunday eight lorries were used to prevent tankers leaving the Lindsey oil refinery in North Killingholme, Lincolnshire.

At one stage BP was suffering shortages at 20 petrol stations hit by supply problems, though it later managed to deliver fuel from alternative depots.

Supermarkets were hit too, with Sainsbury's facing a number of empty filling stations and Tesco reporting panic buying on Merseyside.

The escalating protests coincide with all blockades of oil refineries and depots in France being lifted.

The French interior ministry said the week-long protest, led by French truckers and farmers, ended at 1215 local time (1015 GMT) on Sunday.

It left 80% of France's filling stations empty or low on fuel but ended after protesters won wide-ranging concessions from the French government.

Geoff Dossetter of the Freight Transport Association said, although he did not support direct action, "you can't be surprised" at the spreading UK protests.

The Government refuses to budge despite the growing chaos

On the BBC he issued a message for Chancellor Gordon Brown: "You should think very seriously what the effect of those high taxes are having not only on industry but on the consumer as a direct result."

"You are taking too much, Mr Brown."

But the chancellor has firmly slapped down any prospect of the government responding to the protests.

He said: "I think people do understand that decisions in Britain are made in budgets, they are not made as a result of blockades."

The comments came as ministers from oil producing countries agreed to pump an additional 800,000 barrels a day to bring down petrol prices - but they failed to give a timetable for when the extra fuel might come on line.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_918000/918798.stm

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), September 10, 2000