Fuel protest - live: 13 arrested for ‘driving too slowly’ after major UK roads targeted
Slow-moving convoys cause delays across country
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At least 13 protesters have been arrested for driving too slowly during road blocks demonstrating against high fuel prices.
Police said there had been a legal minimum speed limit in place, but a number of drivers had been caught breaching this.
Twelve were arrested in south Wales, while one driver was arrested in Devon after previously being warned about driving too slowly.
Convoys of protesters drove slowly on purpose on fast-moving roads in a call for fuel duty to be slashed on Monday.
The demonstrations affected stretches of the M4 and M5, as well as main roads in Essex, Devon, York and Shropshire.
A bridge between England and Wales was temporarily closed due to disruption caused by the protest, while other drivers faced delays due to the convoys.
It came a day after the cost of petrol hit a new record, with the average litre price spiking at 191.5p on Sunday.
Thirteen arrests for ‘going too slowly’ in protests
Gwent Police says it has arrested 12 people in connection with the protest along the M4.
It said there had been a legal notice in place banning demonstrators from driving below 30mph.
“The moving protest started at around 7.00am this morning, at 8.30am four people were arrested with another eight people arrested at around 10.45am,” its statement said.
“All twelve people were arrested for breaching the legal notice by driving at under 30 mph for a prolonged amount of time.”
Over in Devon, police arrested one person for going too slowly after previously being warned.
Insulate Britain shows support
Insulate Britain said it supported the M4 protest today:
M5 southbound convoy exits motorway
A southbound 30mph convoy on the M5 has now exited at Taunton, according to police.
This had been causing delays along the motorway:
Where are other convoys at now?
Gwent Police have confirmed to The Independent the protest in their area - the one which crossed the Prince of Wales bridge - has now finished.
The A64 York convoy has also left the area, according to police:
Frustrated drivers get out cars to play football
Frustrated drivers stuck in traffic got out of their cars to play football on the motorway after getting caught up in a fuel protest earlier today.
A video shows a group of three men kicking a football between them on the opposite carriageway of the M4, Thomas Kingsley reports:
Frustrated drivers stuck on motorway get out to play football
Drivers leave cars to play football on empty carriageway
Have people been protesting in Scotland?
People have also been protesting fuel prices in Scotland, with two tractors reported to have slowed traffic to block both lanes on the A92 this morning, causing miles of tailbacks on the Aberdeen to Stonehaven road.
Officers from Police Scotland 's road policing division confirmed that two cars were stopped by officers during a protest near Newbridge in Edinburgh on the M8, Scotland’s busiest motorway, the Daily Record reported.
Others brought disruption on the A9 near Inverness, causing long tailbacks, according to the Press and Journal.
Road Policing chief inspector Lorraine Napier said in a widely reported statement that police were “aware of protests on motorways and trunk roads in Scotland on Monday”, adding: “We urge all road users to drive within the speed limits and at an appropriate speed for the road conditions to encourage safe and responsible road use for all.
“Nevertheless, drivers should be aware that journey times could be longer than normal, especially on motorways and trunk roads, and make travel plans accordingly.
“Police Scotland is a rights-based organisation that puts our values of integrity, fairness, respect and a commitment to upholding human rights at the heart of everything we do. This means that we will protect the rights of people who wish to peacefully protest or counter-protest balanced against the rights of the wider community.”
‘Real problem’ with fuel prices is ‘profiteering by firms’, economist says
Suggesting that the protests today – with a focus on fuel duty – were “bound to happen”, the director of the Progressive Economy Forum has warned that “the real problem with fuel prices is profiteering by fuel companies”.
“There is an alliance to be found between motorists and environmentalists if oil company profits are made the question,” tweeted James Meadway, a former economic advisor to Corbyn-era Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell.
New protest reported near Middlesbrough
There are reports of a fresh protest taking place near Middlesbrough.
Delays in both directions of the A174 are expected while a rolling road block, which began at 4:30pm, is carried out between Ormesby and the A19, Teesside Live reported, citing the traffic site Inrix.
Local radio stations including Heart and Capital reported the same, publishing a snippet from an alleged organiser saying: “We all need to stand together and send a message to the government that we’re not standing for the fuel rises – everything’s going up but our wages are staying the same.
The man said he did not want the protests to cause “too much disruption, but enough disruption to be heard”, adding: “Commuters need to understand we are all in the same boat, we’re all struggling with fuel rises ... and if people don’t protest nothing will change.”
‘Something needs to be done’: Arrested protesters describe impact of rising fuel costs
Among those arrested in the protests this morning was former HGV driver from Vicky Stamper, a 41-year-old from Cwmbran who said she and her partner Darren had to give up jobs in Bristol because they could no longer afford the fuel.
“We had to leave those jobs because it was costing us £380 a week just to get to and from work,” she told the PA news agency. “I then lost a job two weeks ago because the company couldn’t afford to put fuel in that many lorries so last in, first out.”
Talking before the protest about the disruption it would cause to drivers, Ms Stamper said: “We’re doing this for us and for them. If they want to have a moan, they should join us instead.”
Mobile welder Richard Dite, 44, from Maesteg, South Wales, who was also arrested, told PA: “It’s costing me £300 a week before I even get to work and earn anything. My only option soon will be to put the welding gear in the shed and call it a day, maybe go on the dole. Face it, at this rate I’ll be on more that way.”
Sharon Downs, 46, from Pontypridd was also taken in after taking her HGV on the protest.
Ms Downs, a saddle fitter, told the news agency: “I’m fed up of putting so much fuel in my car. I’m self-employed and people rather not get their saddles fitted now than cover the travel cost because of the fuel hikes.
“It means I’m losing business but also it means the horses are suffering. I’m disappointed more people haven’t come with us today but I think the price of fuel is sadly exactly why there’s not more here ... and needing to be at work.
“But something needs to be done about it, we need the tax on fuel to be brought down before this country is on its knees. We need more protests and we need more people to join in so our voices are heard, and the government know we won’t stand for it any more.”
Drivers being ‘taken for fools’ over ‘inexplicable’ fuel price rises, motoring groups warn
Last week, the AA warned drivers were being “taken for fools” amid fuel price hikes labelled “inexplicable” by the RAC.
Speaking as prices were shown to have risen for 38 consecutive days even despite fallen wholesale costs, the AA’s head of roads policy Jack Cousens said: “Drivers are being taken for fools by retailers as the cost of fuel continues its worryingly upward trend.”
RAC fuel spokesperson Simon Williams added: “We can see absolutely no rhyme or reason why average forecourt prices are still going up, given that the wholesale price of both fuels has been falling for weeks,” said
“Drivers up and down the country have a right to know why they’re having to pay what they are for fuel, when the costs to retailers right now are so much less than they were a few weeks ago.”
Yesterday, the price of petrol hit another record high of 191.5p, according to data firm Experian.
On Thursday, the competition watchdog is due to announce the results of an urgent probe ordered by business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng into prices at petrol forecourts.
My colleague Ben Chapman has more details here:
Drivers ‘taken for fools’ as fuel prices rise for 38th day in a row
Retailers accused of profiteering as average cost of diesel hits 199p a litre
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