Fuel price protesters’ gridlock threat at start of summer holidays
FUEL price protesters are threatening to cause motorway misery on the Great British getaway weekend with slow-moving rolling roadblocks.
The protests began yesterday, on a day dubbed “frantic Friday”, as a convoy of about 10 vehicles set off from Bridgwater, Somerset, causing delays on the M5. Similar demonstrations are feared this weekend, on what is predicted to be the biggest summer getaway for eight years as schools break up for the summer holidays.
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As motoring organisation the RAC estimated 18.8 million leisure trips were being planned, 53,000-strong Facebook group Fuel Price Stand Against Tax suggested activists would assemble “nationwide”.
RAC analysis showed despite a significant drop in prices, just four per cent of petrol stations were charging below 180p a litre.
Since June, the average price retailers pay for a litre of petrol has fallen 17p – but average pump prices have dropped by just 4p.
The RAC says drivers who should be paying 174p for a litre of petrol and 189p for diesel are being charged an average of 187.5p and 196.1p respectively.
Meanwhile, parts of the M25 could suffer some of the worst holiday jams, particularly between Bromley, south London, and the Dartford Crossing, Maple Cross and the M3 and the M23 to the M40.
The A303 near Stonehenge, Wilts, the M4 between Cardiff and Newport in South Wales, and the M5 south of Bristol are also likely to have heavy traffic.
