Long Queues at Forecourts as Motorists Try to Beat Fuel Blockade--UK

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1//The Independent, UK Published: 13 September 2005

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport/article312221.ece



LONG QUEUES AT FORECOURTS AS MOTORISTS TRY TO BEAT FUEL BLOCKADE

By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor



The army has been put on stand-by to prevent supermarkets being closed by blockades by fuel protesters, as retailers last night appealed for motorists not to panic-buy.



Texaco, which runs 1,100 service stations said business was "brisk". Stations in Birmingham said they had run out of unleaded fuel. Police in Merseyside complained that motorists were calling 999 to find out where they could buy petrol.



Lengthy queues were reported across the country. Ray Holloway director ]of the Petrol Retailers Association, said: "I really do appeal to people to actually just buy fuel when they need it. If people really do buy in the normal way, fuel will be available on the forecourts when they need it."



Ministers said they are taking seriously the threat of refinery blockades by the fuel protesters over the price of petrol hitting £1 a litre. Campaigners who are planning to disrupt traffic with a go-slow on the M4 tomorrow yesterday said the port of Dover could also be targeted.

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