howie
13-11-2007, 01:50 PM
The Times (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article2859376.ece)
A possible wave of protests against soaring fuel prices will be discussed by hauliers today, amid fresh signs that spiralling energy costs are hurting the economy.
The meeting of representatives of more than 1,300 Scottish hauliers comes as British Airways prepares to implement its third fuel surcharge of the year. The hauliers are worried that many of their businesses could go bust because of the pressures of higher fuel costs. The meeting today of the Road Haulage Association of Scotland comes as the organisation gave warning that the mood among drivers was worse than during the blockades of 2000, when petrol shortages paralysed parts of the country.
Many hauliers are self-employed or work for small businesses and complain that they cannot absorb spiralling costs. With average forecourt prices of more than £1 a litre, Phil Flanders, the director of the Scottish haulage group, said: “Drivers are at their wits’ end. Prices have gone up 50 per cent since 2003 and not very many are making an adequate return. People out there really are very angry. Some are on the breadline.”
Full blockades of fuel terminals by drivers would be illegal, but Mr Flanders said that drivers were “older and wiser” than they were seven years ago. Then, the Government put pressure on the unions to help to end the protests, which some described as a bosses’ strike because so many of the hauliers ran their own businesses.
PM facing new fuel blockade (http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline=pm-facing-new-fuel-blockade&method=full&objectid=20092064&siteid=93463-name_page.html)
Mr Spence is not ruling out similar tactics this time but admitted: "New terror laws mean we could be classed as terrorists if we interfere with supplies. We will have to be careful."
A possible wave of protests against soaring fuel prices will be discussed by hauliers today, amid fresh signs that spiralling energy costs are hurting the economy.
The meeting of representatives of more than 1,300 Scottish hauliers comes as British Airways prepares to implement its third fuel surcharge of the year. The hauliers are worried that many of their businesses could go bust because of the pressures of higher fuel costs. The meeting today of the Road Haulage Association of Scotland comes as the organisation gave warning that the mood among drivers was worse than during the blockades of 2000, when petrol shortages paralysed parts of the country.
Many hauliers are self-employed or work for small businesses and complain that they cannot absorb spiralling costs. With average forecourt prices of more than £1 a litre, Phil Flanders, the director of the Scottish haulage group, said: “Drivers are at their wits’ end. Prices have gone up 50 per cent since 2003 and not very many are making an adequate return. People out there really are very angry. Some are on the breadline.”
Full blockades of fuel terminals by drivers would be illegal, but Mr Flanders said that drivers were “older and wiser” than they were seven years ago. Then, the Government put pressure on the unions to help to end the protests, which some described as a bosses’ strike because so many of the hauliers ran their own businesses.
PM facing new fuel blockade (http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline=pm-facing-new-fuel-blockade&method=full&objectid=20092064&siteid=93463-name_page.html)
Mr Spence is not ruling out similar tactics this time but admitted: "New terror laws mean we could be classed as terrorists if we interfere with supplies. We will have to be careful."