General Chat

I'm afraid I can't see how a fuel blockade is going to have any long term effect at all. People will just buy petrol ahead of time and will either make their journeys as planned or not, if they didn't get fuel in time. To my mind, if there is to be any real pressure on the fuel companies - and if taxes are the problem I'm not sure that this will really help anyway - the only thing to do (perhaps) is to boycott the largest petrol company indefinately and bring a price war into play. Given all the price matching that goes on, if no-one buys from the largest supplier but meets their needs by buying from everyone else as normal, the largest supplier will have to bring down their prices to reclaim their share of the market, and so on. Just a thought, but I really don't think a day's boycott, even if repeated on a regular basis, is going to have any real effect, except annoy folk who can't get supplies when they need them.

Clare yep - although I have to confess the reason I'm not panic buying is that last time around certain parts of the media were classified as essential workers so we were able to buy fuel where available That and teh fact I filled my tank up at start of July and theres about a quarter left as I'm not using the car hardly at all since I got back to London Zoe

If I can add my penneth worth. I've been chasing this story for work since it first cropped up at the start of the week. I've had calls in to the Fuel Lobby - the people supposedly organising it - who haven't called back at all (which is pretty strange as the reason behing these things is normally to create a brooha in the papers and if they wont answer calls from the press its not gonna work) I've also spoken to the Road Hauliers Association who are distancing themselves from it (or were on Wednesday) and also Farmers For Action (who organised the last one) and they too will not be involved. So, even tho it is likely there will be some form of blockade it is very unlikely to have the same affect as the previous one did - mainly because by announcing their intentions they've eliminated the element of surprise which is what happened before and there is not the strength of backing from the most influential corners as last time. Any roll-on effect to shortages at petrol stations probs wont result in them closing up as the general public have had chance to fill up if they think its necessary so there wont be long queues. Zoe

Heard on the radio last week that the blockade will be for 3 days. Perhaps, if possible, you could leave your cars at home. This will help the environment. Jean (running for cover).

It is True fill your cars up quick

Keep this near the top. Think I will bite the bullet and put some more in today when I go to the supermarket. Ex has just got back from 3 weeks in Bahrain and is astounded by the rise in price during that time. Apparently you can fill the average car in Bahrain from empty to full for around a fiver!!!!! Maz. XX

I first heard about it on Wednesday morning on GMTV, the refineries will be blockaded this coming Wednesday if the government do not reduce the tax on petrol and diesel. It was also on Sky news on Thursday I think, its gone a bit quite now but I dare say they will see through their threat and take us all by surprise like they did last time. I read in the paper yesterday that Gordon Brown will not increase the tax in October as he originally planned, so hopefully that will be enough to stop the blockades. Sue.

A £1 a Litre in lowestoft for diesel what a ripoff. Highest taxes and poor quality roads, someone is raking it in, and it's not me. Micheal.

Not good news!! I don't actually have a car so wouldn't normally be affected by this, but our bus drivers are going on strike on Thursday for a week, the first of four planned strikes. As we live a fair way out i was hoping i would be able to get Adam a lift to school or back with one of the parents, but if there is a petrol problem it is highly unlikely they will come out of their way to do it. I guess we will be facing an extra weeks holiday...or sleeping in school overnight, lol.

According to BBC website for every 90p worth of petrol, the actual product costs 23.2p, retailer & delivery costs are 6.3p, VAT is 13.4p and duty is 47.1p. nell

My other half works with someone who's daughter works in Haulage and she's told us that the Blockage is going going to be on Monday instead of Wednesday so that they can catch them off guard!!! now I don't know if this is true, but I would hate for you lot to be stranded and that I hadn't said anything Please do not come back and shoot me if it dosn't happen c x

I am affraid it`s TRUE- we have a pertol refinery not far from us and on WEDNESDAY AT 6A.M THEY ARE GOING BLOCKAGE THE GATES. There was an article not so long back saying that we here in Britain pay the MOST TAX ON PETROL- 79.9 PER CENT OF WHAT WE PAY IS TAX. R.B.xx

This is on BBC news online this morning Fuel protesters plan M4 blockade Hurricane Katrina has affected oil prices Fuel protesters in Wales say they will stage a blockade on the M4 next Friday in the wake of rising petrol prices. The South Wales Hauliers' Association made the vow after a meeting of 60 hauliers and taxi and coach operators. Earlier this week organisers of the 2000 fuel protests said they would act again if fuel tax was not cut. The Treasury says cutting tax would not solve the problem of oil prices forced up after refineries in the US were knocked out by Hurricane Katrina. Fuel Lobby has threatened to block all UK refineries on 14 September, as the price of unleaded petrol rose to more than £1 a litre in parts of the UK. 'Just the start' The Wales protesters plan to stage a 20mph rolling blockade along the M4 from 0700 BST on Friday 16 September. Beginning at Cross Hands in west Wales, they will travel along the motorway to the Magor Services near Newport. They then plan to turn around and head back to Cross Hands on the west bound carriageway. Mike Greene of the South Wales Hauliers' Association - who was active in the 2000 fuel protests - said when the protesters returned to Cross Hands they would take a show of hands on whether or not to set up blockades at oil refineries. If protesters voted ''yes' they would start blockading the refineries that evening, he said. Mr Greene told BBC Wales if Fuel Lobby spokesman Andrew Spence, who is leading the fuel protests in England, decided to blockade oil refineries as early as Wednesday then protesters in Wales would follow suit. Mr Greene urged the motoring public to support the protest saying everyone would benefit from a drop in fuel prices. He called for parity in fuel prices with the rest of Europe, criticised the government and said that the rolling road blockades were just the start of things to come.

Apparently out of each gallon of gas only a minimal anount goes to the oil company the rest goes to the government.. But as usual the govenment hide behind somebody else!! Debs x

Yes, the blockade is meant to be Wednesday if the government don't lower the tax on petrol. The people organising the blockade think they will hurt the oil companies, but they will really only hurt the motorist I expect. Kath. x

Maz, I spoke to my brother tonight and he says that they are going to have a blockade on Wednesday (im sure thats what he said) until the government bring the pricew down!!! Doubt they will do that.. too greedy! Debs x

I always fill up tank when it reaches 1/4 and a year ago it used to cost me £20 - last few months it has been about £25 put £27 in on Sunday and it was only 3/4 full. Ann

well from recent emails..................going back to 4 years ago! we should all be banning esso and shell from our tanks,, if we all boycott our fuel from them it will force prices down saying that, this week I have put £30 in, where as 4 years ago only had to put £10 for half a tank its disgusting,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and I never go anywhere! if you google 'petrol blockade' you'll find the inf on bbc news

June, I'm sure we will at some point !! We're there once or twice a month at the moment (assuming we keep getting the tickets for United (we apply for every game, some we get, some we don't)). Paul

Hi Paul, Cant you coincide one of your trips to Manchester with one of our meetups? I would love to meet you and Sharon. June xx