Cheshire - England , Fuel protest at oil refinery

FUEL protesters staged a demonstration at the entrance of a Cheshire oil refinery last night.

Around 100 farmers and truckers, who were on foot, gathered at the entrance to Shell's Stanlow oil refinery at Ellesmere Port.

Tom Haughton, a spokesman for the group, said 50 fuel tankers were shut outside the plant.

He said: "There were over 100 hauliers and farmers who blocked the road on foot.

"I think 40 or 50 tankers were blocked out. There were 300 to come in, so they tell us."

About 100 farmers and hauliers have staged a demonstration outside the Stanlow Oil Refinery at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire over rising fuel prices.

'Massive profits'

One of the hauliers told the BBC: "It's affecting all of us. It's not just hauliers and farmers - although they are being crippled by the costs - it's going to have a knock on effect on everyone - in rising fuel costs and higher prices of food on the shelves in shops."

The fuel protests in the United Kingdom were a series of campaigns held in the United Kingdom over the cost of petrol and diesel for road vehicle use. There have been 3 notable campaigns amongst many other protests in the 21st century. The first protest in 2000 was primarily led by lorry drivers and farmers. Blockades of oil facilities caused widespread disruption to the supply of petroleum products with knock on effects for the public and the authorities, as well as causing a reduction in popularity for the incumbent government. The aim of the protests was to secure a reduction in the fuel duty rate on petrol and diesel, which the government refused to enact. After the protest ended, the government did announce a freezing of fuel duties, and promised changes would be made to the way that goods vehicles were taxed which would include the taxing of foreign vehicles operating on British roads. Subsequent protests have not had as significant an impact, but did result in some panic buying in 2005. The 2007 protests were not widely supported nor did they cause any disruption.