fuel protests update

[Icemaker]

I like many others have today received an e-mail from the petrol prices web site that gives more information on the group that are at the forefront of the planned fuel protests.

i have copied a section of the blog below and a link to the main blog.

09.12.07 Petrol price protests planned for this Wednesday

809 comments 4177 votes

Do you think the government should have acted before these protests?

A group called Transaction 2007 is planning a "nationwide legal protest" this Wednesday.

You might remember the fuel protest of 2000 which initially gathered strong support from motorists. However, that support quickly turned when many motorists were prevented from filling up because of lorry blockades.

PetrolPrices.com expressed to the organisers that they may find public support for another fuel protest providing it was properly planned to be legal and orderly. So far, the Transaction 2007 organisers have been unwilling to confirm to us specifically what action they have planned for this week. When we pressed the groups' spokesman, Chris Hunter, he said "This will be a numbers game levied against legislation. I can comment no further."

With fuel breaking well beyond the £1 barrier, PetrolPrices.com has had a huge rise in the number of emails from concerned motorists. People were especially angry following the last fuel duty hike, imposed by the Government in October. Despite being made aware of the huge resistance from motorists, the Government pushed ahead with the 2p duty increase, leaving the public frustrated and angry. Over 80,000 people had voted against the tax hike on our blog post.

The protests of 2000 achieved some success in that the fuel duty escalator was frozen. However, it has now resumed and with the rising price of oil motorists are paying ever increasing taxation due to VAT on fuel. Unlike fuel duty which is fixed, VAT is charged at 17.5%, so for every 1p increase in the price of fuel, we are actually paying an extra 1.175p.

We'd love to hear what you think. How have the tax and oil price rises affected you? Will you be forced to tighten your belt this Christmas as a result?

http://www.petrolprices.com/blog/petrol-price-protests-planned-for-this-wednesday-86.html

 

[mostavern]

i agree that something has got to be done, i work on the outskirts of london and due to shift start times can't get public transport into work, round trip of 60 miles and nearly getting to the point where i can't afford to go to work !!!!!!! if the rises don't stop there won't be much towing for me next year

 

[Mikey1]

When they did the last blockade the action received mixed support from the public, who were inconvenienced by the action i think this will still be the case.

With 50% of cars on the road are company cars who i suspect have a company fuel card dont pay for their fuel.Quite a few guys at my work opted back to go back to the fuel card and suffer the tax.

 

[MonkeyHanger]

Hurray action at last!!!! As Mikey said if fuel prices keep going the way they are then I to wont be doing much towing either my work is also a 30 mile round trip so i wont be able to afford to go there either.

Its lucky that labours colour is red in a way cos thats what most people will be in under this government and wasnt red the colour of communism!

Anyway let the dispute begin.

Andy

 

[Robert_374242026]

We have two petrol stations where they are about 1 mile apart, one has diesel at

 

[Anthony_5105557]

I urge all us caravanners to turn up to your local refinery to support the protest I had an email from Transaction 2007 they are not blockading with vehicles just standing there to show Brown we are all united against the high fuel prices I myself am a caravanner.

 

[Mikey1]

The last time when they blocked the refineries they brought the country to its knees did it make a difference no ,i think standing outside will do nothing they dont care because they know you will still pay the price.

I worked in the fuel industry during that time and the only people who suffered were the general public,all the fuel companies had garages with fuel for employies,important staff etc,you didnt see any of them queing for hours to get a tenner of fuel did you?

 

[Icemaker]

further information is now available and is copied below.

The following statement is released on 10th December 2007 at 10:15Hrs

Transaction2007 have decided to release the date and time of protest action earlier than scheduled. This is to enable the motorist and public to better prepare themselves for the coming action. This will be a nationwide protest extending to Northern and Southern Ireland.

A date of Saturday 15th December 2007 at 10:00am has been decided for protest action. This date was decided by members as the best possible to enable those who would normally be working during the week to attend. This action will be initiated at a refinery or storage depot somewhere near you. Anyone wishing to support action is requested to make your way there at the alotted time. Transaction again wish to emphasise the importance of legal protesting.

Please note: No member from Transaction2007 is available for press or media commenting at this stage.

"TransAction 2007"

Telephone: 07717 075917

All calls charged at your standard network rate.

the statement is from; http://www.transaction-2007.com/

 

[Icemaker]

on another note, have you seen the news today regarding how the italians have gone about protesting, the country is at a standstill.

 

[trevor123]

Hi Icemaker, Yes we saw it on the news as well, The country is at a standstill for five days so far, Meat milk every thing on the shelf is nearly empty, Bet they won't do that here again because govement will have their cause in it, The same as the electricy people did long time ago,Remember that, Lucky we had our van in our back garden then, Trevor

 

[parker1158]

I would agree with Mikey above, a complete waist of time. The only people that suffer are the general public. Anyone who thinks Gordon will drop the price of fuel is sadly deluded.

The point Robert makes above sums it all up quite well most folk could not care less they just pull into a petrol station and fill up.

I'm afraid the whingers are the minority.

If Gordon did drop the price of fuel by say 20p he would need to claw back that amount from somewhere else to balance the books-it isn't rocket science. So in the long run you are no better off. Its all swings and roundabouts, yes fuel is probably cheaper in Europe but other things may be more expensive or local services poorer

 

[Surfer]

How the hell did the British win the war with some of the negative attitudes of some previous posters?

Correct me if I am wrong, but after the last blockade weren't some fuel tax increases put on hold for nearly two years?

Aren't there are two different taxes on fuel, one being custom and excise tax which is linked to the basic price of fuel, i.e. like a purchase which then has 17.55% tax added, then over and above that the environment tax which is the tax that keeps getting increased yearly with another increase in April 2008. What this means is that every time there is an increase in the basic cost of fuel, custom & excise tax increase accordingly donating more money to the government's coffers!

My argument is why should the motorist be penalised to support services that are enjoyed by all the general public especially those not related to motorists? The state of some of our roads is totally appaling with numerous pot holes waiting to devour your car and caravan.

Some may argue that if they did not tax the motorist they would find other ways to tax us. They do this already1 What if we all went out tomorrow and purchased a Prius type vehicle? The economy would collapse within months as there would be no funding for public sector services etc, no money for roads, oil companies would post losses for the first time ever, etc.

Motorist tax is a big green con at present and we should all be supporting these truckers and standing up to this government and any other government that imposes unnecessary tax increases.

 

[Angus1]

Trouble is Ian, your last sentence spoils the argument. "Unnecessary" tax increases is what we DON`T have, due to the abject mis-management of the economy and in particular the public sector.

Unfair taxes are what we do have, because its easier than tackling the beaurocrasy, waste and idleness endemic in certain areas of what we call `society`. And that, friends, is what we are stuck with untill anyone dare stick their head above the parapet and scream "THIS IS WRONG AND WE WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT".

Just prey God that if and when this should happen the decent hardworking folk aren`t outnumbered by the idle, feckless, and those with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

I have my doubts already.

 

[JimC1]

How the hell did the British win the war with some of the negative attitudes of some previous posters?

Correct me if I am wrong, but after the last blockade weren't some fuel tax increases put on hold for nearly two years?

Aren't there are two different taxes on fuel, one being custom and excise tax which is linked to the basic price of fuel, i.e. like a purchase which then has 17.55% tax added, then over and above that the environment tax which is the tax that keeps getting increased yearly with another increase in April 2008. What this means is that every time there is an increase in the basic cost of fuel, custom & excise tax increase accordingly donating more money to the government's coffers!

My argument is why should the motorist be penalised to support services that are enjoyed by all the general public especially those not related to motorists? The state of some of our roads is totally appaling with numerous pot holes waiting to devour your car and caravan.

Some may argue that if they did not tax the motorist they would find other ways to tax us. They do this already1 What if we all went out tomorrow and purchased a Prius type vehicle? The economy would collapse within months as there would be no funding for public sector services etc, no money for roads, oil companies would post losses for the first time ever, etc.

Motorist tax is a big green con at present and we should all be supporting these truckers and standing up to this government and any other government that imposes unnecessary tax increases.

I totally agree with you Ian, we are born free and taxed to bloody death. Brown could easily off set any losses with the profits he is creaming off North Sea oil, we are too soft in this country, we should all be out protesting to let Brown see how the people really feel about his taxes.

 

[stephen_5096123]

sounds 2 me they have to recupe the tax they have lost by making people stop smoking so the revenue they have lost has got to come from somewhere so why not the motorist we get hit with every thing else so wait till voting and just remember what they have done

 

[Essexeddie]

Strange the government can find 30 Billion pounds just like that to prop up a Bank.

God knows how much the Middle East is costing us.Gordon has promised to rebuild Afganistan. Yet never have any money for ourselves.

Edd

 

[RogerL]

If fuel tax is unfair, who should be taxed to provide the government with money to spend on public services?

The rich or the poor?

The working or the retired?

The healthy or the sick?

A lot of people (drivers) whinge about the high level of fuel tax in the UK but don't offer any workable alternative - just reducing fuel tax in isolation won't work.

 

[Essexeddie]

RogerL. Perhaps we should ask other countries how they do it, as they seem to manage without the high taxation that we have in this country. Its probably got to do with the ammount of money we give away!

Edd

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Roger L a good start would be to come out of countries that we shouldn't be meddling in. As you say, where is the money going to come from. Money to pay for the billions we are spending in Iraq and Afghanistan. And that's not taking into account the billions we give to third world countries who only turn around and humiliate us over a teddy bear.

 

[Essexeddie]

It seems too simple for our politicians to work out.

Edd

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Britain is now the top donor to the World Bank.

BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States lost its status as the largest donor to the World Bank's main fund for poor countries, the lender said on Friday, as Britain pledged more in the latest funding round that secured a record amount of aid.

Losing its position as the top donor could weaken Washington's influence over the World Bank, which is the largest provider of development assistance to poor countries, and over the policies that decide how its cash is spent.

Britain promised $4.2 billion (2.08 billion pounds) for the period from July 2008 through June 2011, World Bank President Robert Zoellick told reporters in a conference call.

That's where the fuel tax is going Roger L. and to fund for our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan :O(

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi all

britains fuel prices have allways been a rip off and will continue to be as long as its inhabitants keep paying them so stop moaning and pay up just like when petrol went to 50p a gallon then

 

[colin(bridgend)]

Colin A - you are right in what you said and I will agree with you - I now walk regularly with the dog approx 2 miles per day since taking early retirement and have lost half a stone in weight since October and feel a lot better. However we do use the car as well for the weekly shop and also shopping and visiting my mother in law. My wife cannot unfortunately travel by bus - we both have bus passes - but she only has to go a short journey and we have to get off. Also there are many people who require their car for business use. My son is a Building Control Officer in the private sector industry and he is often in Chiswick, Reading, Swindon, Milford Haven and a few other places more local per week.

There are many people who do use their car unnecessary eg school run, etc. who could benefit from walking as well as doing their health, wallet/purse and the environmet a bit of good. How many families these days have just the one vehicle? my neighbour has four cars all road legal and they are only three in family.

I think the first thing necessary, and I have said it before, is to get the heavy freight off the roads back onto the rails. On the news this week a transport manager has said he has cut his fuel bill almost in half -

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

From colin, Quote "I am also looking into the possibility of converting it to run on chipfat"

What makes you think they wont tax that colin? If they could invent a device to fit on your todger they would even tax your nuptials :O) ... hehheh!

 

[Meister]

And ............. for some of us the options of walking/cycling/taking a bus are in fact not realistic options due to disability.

If I could walk to the nearest bus stop I would consider it but then when do I sit whilst waiting for a bus to arrive ???

Steve