Local firms join fuel price protest

Hauliers from Shropshire blocked the entrance to a major oil refinery for three hours in a protest over fuel prices.

They were among more than 100 truckers who rallied together and protested outside the main gate of Shell's Stanlow oil refinery at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, yesterday. Among the protesters were hauliers who had travelled from Oswestry, Ruyton-XI-Towns and Shrewsbury.

Jim Jordan, of Shrewsbury-based Jordan's Transport, said the surprise protest was aimed at building a momentum following an earlier protest in London on Tuesday.

"It was very peaceful," he said. "There was about 100 of us, with about 20 from Shropshire. We need to make sure people are aware of how the fuel prices are affecting us.

"We have a big problem with fuel. We can't do anything about the price, but we can do something about the tax.

"I run four trucks and three had a good week in the current climate and the fourth could have been better, but they made £9,400. It cost £4,400 for the fuel, and the same fuel next week is £55 more."

A police spokesman said deliveries to the refinery were not affected and the protest ended shortly after midnight.

Former Shropshire Haulage Road Association chairman Dave Yarwood, said: "They stopped the tankers for three hours and there was a fair crowd.

"There wasn't a very big police turnout."

Other hauliers involved in the protest included Cadwalladers and Pentons Haulage from Oswestry and JR Gregory of Ruyton-XI-Towns.

The refinery was the centre of the fuel protests in 2000 which caused some stations to run out of petrol.

One of the organisers, Merfyn Parry, of Holywell, said the protesters consisted of hauliers, farmers and businessmen from north Wales, Cheshire and Shropshire.

By Business Editor Amy Bould