Taxi Driver Online

The London Media have been trying to panic everyone all day Sunday with this story, resulting in, as usual, petrol stations running dry.

It seems a rather damp squib compared to the one in 2000, but it seems tanker drivers are not interested in this one, their union has advised them to continue as normal, (and why wouldn't they on £40K a year?) and the Police are keeping the entrance clear.

Will it spread?

I doubt it.


Fuel protesters' Ellesmere Port oil blockade

Fuel protesters have staged a day-long protest, culminating with a demonstration outside the Shell oil depot at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire.

Earlier, about 150 vehicles staged a go-slow protest along the M56 and M53, with lorry drivers, farmers and bikers travelling in 20mph convoys.

Some 40 people remained at the plant on Sunday evening, calling on the government to reduce fuel duty.

A spokesperson for Shell said the protest was "not affecting operations".

'People suffering'

The Stanlow oil depot produces one sixth of Britain's petrol, and some campaigners say they will stay overnight.

The Stanlow Fuel Protest and Direct Action Group, which recruited supporters through Facebook, had said it intended to block the Ellesmere Port refinery's exits until their demands were met.

But when the protesters converged on the refinery, where police officers were on hand, they parked up their vehicles at the side of the road and there was no attempt to blockade the refinery.

Organiser Ian Charlesworth claimed their action had "shut down" the refinery for "a number of hours."

But petrol tankers were seen to arrive and exit the refinery freely.

Mr Charlesworth, from Hawarden, Flintshire, who runs a construction business, said he had been forced to get rid of two of his company vans in the last three months and lay off four staff.

"People are suffering already from the high cost of fuel as they are having to give up jobs they can't afford to drive to," he added.

Cheshire Police said it had liaised with neighbouring forces, the Highways Agency and local authorities to "ensure the demonstration can pass peacefully, safely and legally".

A spokeswoman said: "Officers continue to liaise with the organisers as with previous protests, and we will do all we can to reduce the impact the mobile protest may have on the road networks and to manage any disruption.

"Our role is to impartially allow for peaceful protesting, whilst ensuring that others can continue in their legitimate business activities, or commuting

Fuel tanker drivers have always been better paid, i think even more than your stated £40K now, but then again, who wants 5000 gallons of petrol 8 feet behind them waiting for a spark to send the lot sky high? and they are as bad when empty as the fumes still fill the empty tank.

remember when one hit a motorway support under the aston expressway access ramp (birmingham) just past palletlines old depot on the A38 (the old loco sheds)? they never did find a body and the repair work took 18 months

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

UPDATE

Protestors’ bid to block gates at Stanlow oil refinery fails
09:16, May 9 2011





A FUEL protest that had threatened to bring Britain to a halt went down like an unleaded balloon on Sunday (May .

Despite protestors claiming up to 1,000 vehicles would block the gate at Stanlow refinery and prevent fuel tankers from reaching petrol stations on Sunday, a constant flow of tankers ere travelling in an out of the refinery all day. About 120 vehicles were involved, according to police.

Before the protest, Ian Charlesworth, of the Stanlow Fuel Protest and Direct Action Group, said five separate protests would converge on Shell and petrol pumps on Monday would run dry, but in the event only two turned up – from Manchester and Llandudno.

They then parked at the roadside and began a foot protest.

He also claimed protestors would camp out at the site until demands for fuel duty to be lowered were met by the Government.

But by Monday morning, none remained.

Cheshire police spokeswoman Jacqui Hanson said: “One protest originated from Llandudno in North Wales, and involved around 60 vehicles. The other originated from the Birch Services on the M62 in Greater Manchester, and involved around 40-50 motorcyclists, and around 10 vehicles.

“The mobile protests were managed by the police forces in the areas in which they originated, with this role passing to Cheshire officers at the county borders. Police attendance at mobile protests is to maximise the safety of other road users.”

Police forced organisers of the go-slow to adhere to a minimum speed limit and keep a lane free for emergency vehicles.

Ms Hanson added: “Cheshire Police have not been informed of, or received any complaints of, disruption to the road networks as a result of the mobile protests.

“The role of the police in this situation is to uphold the law. The law allows for peaceful protest, but also requires that business can continue unhampered as usual.

“During the course of the evening, the number of foot protestors dwindled, leaving around 10-20 in number, until around 2.30am. on Monday, May 9, when these left. There are currently no protestors at the site, and there have not been any protestors at the site since 2.30am this morning.

“There has been no hampering of business activity at the site, and throughout yesterday's policing operation, tankers continued to arrive and leave the refinery as normal. No arrests were made.

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http://chestertaxicall.co.uk

Actually Petrol tankers are not the most dangerous lorries to drive there are a lot of far more dangerous commodities I am told by people within the trade that the worst lorry to drive is believe it or not an empty flour tanker ! apparently the remaining dust and air is 20 times more explosive than petrol ! sugar is highly dangerous as well as your LPG and ammonia and of course fertilizer and of course Hydrocyanic acid but I don't think that is allowed on the road in a normal tanker only in those special tanktainers with massive steel beams protecting the tank

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector