BBC Saturday, 2 June, 2001, 04:16 GMT 05:16 UK

Fuel protests at refineries

Fuel protesters who staged overnight demonstrations at oil refineries and depots around England and Wales, say they are planning further action on Saturday.

Sites as far apart as Manchester, Essex and west Wales have been targeted by hauliers demanding that the issue of fuel prices be moved up the political agenda - ahead of Thursday's general election.

Police say there are no blockades and have urged the public not to panic-buy petrol after queues formed at forecourts in parts of Wales.

Many of the demonstrators took part in fuel protests last September which brought the UK to a virtual standstill.

'Peaceful protest'

Truckers from south and west Wales gathered at Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire, west Wales, on Friday evening before setting off in a slow convoy to the Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock oil refineries, both in Pembrokeshire.

David Handley, chairman of protest group the People's Fuel Lobby, said protesters had also gathered in Avonmouth in Bristol, Stanlow in Cheshire, north Wales, Manchester, Kent, Essex and Birmingham.

Mr Handley was at the Avonmouth Docks protest in Bristol, where police said the number of protesters dwindled overnight.

Inspector Adrian Goldie, of Avon and Somerset police, said: "It has been a peaceful protest without any trouble and there are no blockades in place."

At the height of the protest about 40 campaigners had gathered near the docks' oil refineries but the numbers had fallen to about 25, police said.

'Reminder' to government

A spokeswoman for Cheshire police said between 70 and 100 protesters arrived at the entrance to Stanlow refinery, the scene of last year's first demonstrations, at 2200BST on Friday night.

Around 50 protesters remained overnight and the spokeswoman said: "It has been a peaceful protest and there have been no incidents of note or arrests.

"[Tanker] truckers are continuing to enter and leave the refinery."

Protesters separated into two groups at the Texaco and Total refineries in Pembrokeshire, where they said they could remain until next Thursday's elections.

Leading protester Mark Greene, from Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire, said: "We want to see what kind of reaction we get from the politicians.

"We want to give the government a reminder that we are unhappy and that they can't forget about us. We want fuel prices back on the political agenda.

'Public support'

"There is nothing in Labour's manifesto and we want the government to wake up.

"We have the public support - we are doing this for them."

In the last Budget the government took 2p off a litre of ultra low sulphur petrol, and 3p off ultra low sulphur diesel.

They also reduced road tax for hauliers.

But on Friday the Pembrokeshire protesters said these measures did not go far enough.

Appeal for calm

And panic buying, which started in south Wales had spread to west Wales by the time protesters reached their destinations.

A spokesman for Dyfed Powys police said: "We are asking people to remain calm and not to panic buy because it will only create more problems.

"There is no indication of any shortage of fuel."

During last September's protests, car manufacturers came within a week of shutdown, according to government sources.

Defence and aerospace industries were also within a week of "serious problems" and steel makers had been on the brink of a 40% reduction in output.

-- Anonymous, June 02, 2001