Fuel price protests bring UK motorways to a standstill
Campaigners are calling on government to lower fuel duty as prices hit record highs
Campaigners are causing long tailbacks across the UK as they target motorways in ‘go-slow’ protests over the rising cost of fuel.
Protesters are calling on the government to drop fuel duty as the price of petrol and diesel continues to soar to unprecedented levels.
Most recent figures show that a litre of petrol costs on average 191.5p and diesel is currently hovering at around 199p per litre, according to the RAC. Rising wholesale costs have been pushed higher by the war in Ukraine, and are particularly tangible in the UK given the pound’s weakness against the US dollar - the currency against which crude oil is traded.
Motorways in Wales, Devon and Essex are currently being affected as activists drive slowly along busy roads, reports the BBC. It adds that campaigners are mainly targeting three-lane motorways, with convoys of vehicles effectively bringing to a halt the two inside lanes, leaving the outside lane free.
Police forces in the affected areas have warned there could be "serious disruption throughout the day" after the action began just after 7am this morning.
‼️ Chief Superintendent Tom Harding said:"We are seeing significant delays both east and westbound on the Prince of Wales Bridge due to the planned protest.⬇️ pic.twitter.com/SFKddA6cyD
— Gwent Police (@gwentpolice) July 4, 2022
The M4, which runs from London to Wales, is the most heavily affected by the action, with rolling roadblocks bringing part of the busy motorway to a standstill. Convoys are targeting the Prince of Wales Bridge, the main road connecting England with Wales, in both directions.
The impact has been so great that the bridge has been forced to close eastbound, with protesters stopped by police on the westbound side before they were able to enter the crossing. Gwent Police Superintendent Tom Harding said that the force was seeing "significant delays".
Other delays include a go-slow protest in Devon heading northbound from Exeter services of the M5, and a column of around 20 vehicles holding up the London-bound A12 near Colchester in Essex.
Elsewhere in the UK, Police Scotland said it was aware of protests, but did not give details of where these were taking place.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak cut fuel duty by 5p per litre in March, but it has failed to halt rising prices. He said he will carefully consider calls for a "more substantial" cut.
