Heads Up: Transport Crisis Looming
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Heads Up: Transport Crisis Looming
Seems like the UK could be in imminent danger of grinding to a halt, according to today's Daily Telegraph:
Incidentally, I hear that all Piccadilly Line services to LHR have been suspended following a train hitting a tree on the track. At least that's more credible than the 'wrong leaves' holding up pax! 
------------------
Happiness is a warm L1011
THE threat of a major transport crisis drew nearer last night as Britain faced
continuing widespread disruption of the railways aggravated by the looming
prospect of more fuel protests.
Thousands of rail passengers suffered long delays
and sudden cancellations as the largest
maintenance programme for a century, begun after
the Hatfield crash, wrecked the weekend
timetable.
Railtrack said that after inspecting 1,500 sites it
had not found any rails with cracks as bad as those
that caused the Hatfield crash. It claimed that the
worst of the problems were over. Nearly 50 speed
restrictions had been lifted, said the company. But
with the severe weather hampering the repair
work, there were still over 200 speed restrictions
in force on the network last night. Railtrack said
more might have been ordered as a result of the
weekend work.
Earlier, senior industry figures admitted that it would be the New Year before
train services returned to normal. A reliable emergency timetable would not
be in operation until next week.
By then the transport situation could be aggravated by a resumption of
blockades and protests over petrol prices. Demonstrators, whose 60-day
deadline for the Government to act over fuel expires on Nov 13, predicted
that panic buying of petrol would resume later this week.
Protest organisers are waiting to see if the Chancellor makes any concession
to their demands for a cut in fuel duty before deciding the shape of their next
round of demonstrations. But the Government is prepared for a showdown in
the face of any renewed oil refinery blockades and 1,000 soldiers have been
trained to drive petrol tankers and deliver fuel to forecourts.
Gerald Corbett, Railtrack's chief executive, said the disruption to the rail
network was "a necessary response in spite of the huge inconvenience to
passengers". Up to 20,000 people were working on rail repairs, laying 24
miles of track at 150 sites and checking the entire network for hairline cracks
in rails similar to those that caused the crash at Hatfield in which four men
died.
Railtrack said the repair programme would be eased this week to allow
weekday services to run more smoothly. But train companies told passengers
to expect continued misery with trains running late and being cancelled
unexpectedly.
Anthony Smith, national director of the Rail Passengers Council, criticised the
"patchy" quality of information offered to travellers. He said: "We need some
certainty back in the system. At the moment people are setting off on
long-distance journeys not knowing when they are going to arrive. Safety is
paramount. Passengers understand that, but they want to see safety being
managed and managed properly."
Mr Corbett, visiting some of the sites where maintenance work was being
carried out, defended the decision to disrupt services to ensure safety. He
said: "The response we have put in post-Hatfield is quite right. We have
tightened standards on gauge corner cracking; that's right.
"We are blitzing the network with safety checks; people need to know the
network is safe so it is utterly appropriate to do that. This has caused delays,
which is dreadful for passengers, but we have turned the corner. The network
will open in better shape and will steadily improve."
Sir Alastair Morton, chairman of the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority,
supported Mr Corbett, saying he disagreed with the views expressed by
some that Railtrack had over-reacted to the Hatfield crash.
Sir Alastair said: "I think people will look back in the near future and say
'thank goodness they did it'." The railways were safer than before
privatisation, he said. "We have massive disruption because we are inspecting
our navel, not because we have an unsafe railway. We are looking for defects
of a particular kind in the entire network simultaneously.
"Anywhere there is any record of any sign of cracking is being visited and
inspected, sometimes with specialised machinery. That is why we have
so-called chaos. But having embarked on this scale of reassurance we will be
through it relatively soon."
Sir Alastair, the former co-chairman of Eurotunnel, said there would be
"continuing chaos for a few more days" before a period of "reduced order",
when emergency timetables would operate. There would then be a gradual
return to the regular timetable. He said: "It will be the New Year before things
are fully back to normal."
Sir Alastair is to chair talks between all the groups involved in the rail industry
aimed at learning lessons from the Hatfield crash. He said they would result in
more "joined-up thinking" in the industry rather than a radical restructuring. He
said: "The aim is not to revise the architecture of the railways, not redesign it,
but to ask where the stresses and strains and conflicts of interest are and what
we can do to ease them."
Two train crashes caused by trees on the line added to the rail misery
yesterday. A Great Malvern to Paddington train was in collision at 5.25pm
near Honeyborne after the Thames Trains service had left Evesham station.
Passengers spent more than two hours stranded on the train.
A Reading to Gatwick service carrying 16 people was damaged when it
ploughed into a trunk between Chilworth and Shalford, near Guildford,
Surrey, at 6.13pm. Several people were slightly injured. Insp Philip Trendall,
of the British Transport Police, said neither train had been derailed, despite
suffering severe damage.
continuing widespread disruption of the railways aggravated by the looming
prospect of more fuel protests.
Thousands of rail passengers suffered long delays
and sudden cancellations as the largest
maintenance programme for a century, begun after
the Hatfield crash, wrecked the weekend
timetable.
Railtrack said that after inspecting 1,500 sites it
had not found any rails with cracks as bad as those
that caused the Hatfield crash. It claimed that the
worst of the problems were over. Nearly 50 speed
restrictions had been lifted, said the company. But
with the severe weather hampering the repair
work, there were still over 200 speed restrictions
in force on the network last night. Railtrack said
more might have been ordered as a result of the
weekend work.
Earlier, senior industry figures admitted that it would be the New Year before
train services returned to normal. A reliable emergency timetable would not
be in operation until next week.
By then the transport situation could be aggravated by a resumption of
blockades and protests over petrol prices. Demonstrators, whose 60-day
deadline for the Government to act over fuel expires on Nov 13, predicted
that panic buying of petrol would resume later this week.
Protest organisers are waiting to see if the Chancellor makes any concession
to their demands for a cut in fuel duty before deciding the shape of their next
round of demonstrations. But the Government is prepared for a showdown in
the face of any renewed oil refinery blockades and 1,000 soldiers have been
trained to drive petrol tankers and deliver fuel to forecourts.
Gerald Corbett, Railtrack's chief executive, said the disruption to the rail
network was "a necessary response in spite of the huge inconvenience to
passengers". Up to 20,000 people were working on rail repairs, laying 24
miles of track at 150 sites and checking the entire network for hairline cracks
in rails similar to those that caused the crash at Hatfield in which four men
died.
Railtrack said the repair programme would be eased this week to allow
weekday services to run more smoothly. But train companies told passengers
to expect continued misery with trains running late and being cancelled
unexpectedly.
Anthony Smith, national director of the Rail Passengers Council, criticised the
"patchy" quality of information offered to travellers. He said: "We need some
certainty back in the system. At the moment people are setting off on
long-distance journeys not knowing when they are going to arrive. Safety is
paramount. Passengers understand that, but they want to see safety being
managed and managed properly."
Mr Corbett, visiting some of the sites where maintenance work was being
carried out, defended the decision to disrupt services to ensure safety. He
said: "The response we have put in post-Hatfield is quite right. We have
tightened standards on gauge corner cracking; that's right.
"We are blitzing the network with safety checks; people need to know the
network is safe so it is utterly appropriate to do that. This has caused delays,
which is dreadful for passengers, but we have turned the corner. The network
will open in better shape and will steadily improve."
Sir Alastair Morton, chairman of the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority,
supported Mr Corbett, saying he disagreed with the views expressed by
some that Railtrack had over-reacted to the Hatfield crash.
Sir Alastair said: "I think people will look back in the near future and say
'thank goodness they did it'." The railways were safer than before
privatisation, he said. "We have massive disruption because we are inspecting
our navel, not because we have an unsafe railway. We are looking for defects
of a particular kind in the entire network simultaneously.
"Anywhere there is any record of any sign of cracking is being visited and
inspected, sometimes with specialised machinery. That is why we have
so-called chaos. But having embarked on this scale of reassurance we will be
through it relatively soon."
Sir Alastair, the former co-chairman of Eurotunnel, said there would be
"continuing chaos for a few more days" before a period of "reduced order",
when emergency timetables would operate. There would then be a gradual
return to the regular timetable. He said: "It will be the New Year before things
are fully back to normal."
Sir Alastair is to chair talks between all the groups involved in the rail industry
aimed at learning lessons from the Hatfield crash. He said they would result in
more "joined-up thinking" in the industry rather than a radical restructuring. He
said: "The aim is not to revise the architecture of the railways, not redesign it,
but to ask where the stresses and strains and conflicts of interest are and what
we can do to ease them."
Two train crashes caused by trees on the line added to the rail misery
yesterday. A Great Malvern to Paddington train was in collision at 5.25pm
near Honeyborne after the Thames Trains service had left Evesham station.
Passengers spent more than two hours stranded on the train.
A Reading to Gatwick service carrying 16 people was damaged when it
ploughed into a trunk between Chilworth and Shalford, near Guildford,
Surrey, at 6.13pm. Several people were slightly injured. Insp Philip Trendall,
of the British Transport Police, said neither train had been derailed, despite
suffering severe damage.
------------------
Happiness is a warm L1011
Guest
Posts: n/a
well thats not all today talking to a hallmark driver massive road blockades from Newcastle to London are planned by most hauliers accross the nation should time in nicely with the train crisis.But will the government listen will the turds bring in the military on the 13th and seize fuel tankers .We do live in a democratic state do we not or is it a SUBVERSIVE dictatorship we live in. MMMMMMMMMMMMM lets see blairs next f***** up move.
Guest
Posts: n/a
The Telegraph and the Sun (along with the Mail) are holding their breath for another fuel crisis, as there is nothing else that can dent Labour's lead over the Conservatives, and sell a few papers on the way.
The British (okay, English) public really are amazing. Opinion polls show that they are against global warming and in favour of nice green policies, but they also want cheap fuel and unrestricted motoring, along with better hospitals,higher pensions, motherhood and apple pie.
The last crisis was greatly enjoyed by all involved, and was seen as a bit of a laugh. It ended before anyone had been really hurt. Since the hotheads now want to block supermarket distribution as well, do we think that the great warm hearted public will still be in favour? The Daily Mail changed its attitude when the management discovered that they were short of paper to print on. How will they jump this time?
Goodbye reason, hello emotion.
I think I've got one of my headaches coming on........
The British (okay, English) public really are amazing. Opinion polls show that they are against global warming and in favour of nice green policies, but they also want cheap fuel and unrestricted motoring, along with better hospitals,higher pensions, motherhood and apple pie.
The last crisis was greatly enjoyed by all involved, and was seen as a bit of a laugh. It ended before anyone had been really hurt. Since the hotheads now want to block supermarket distribution as well, do we think that the great warm hearted public will still be in favour? The Daily Mail changed its attitude when the management discovered that they were short of paper to print on. How will they jump this time?
Goodbye reason, hello emotion.
I think I've got one of my headaches coming on........
Guest
Posts: n/a
Couldn’t agree more Unwell-Raptor
I too have enjoyed the media coverage of the current chaos caused by Railtracks decision to sort out their maintenance backlog. It amazes me how Joe (and Joanna) Public can whine on about delays – I presume they would rather forget the repairs and take their chance on dodgy rails.
I despair
I too have enjoyed the media coverage of the current chaos caused by Railtracks decision to sort out their maintenance backlog. It amazes me how Joe (and Joanna) Public can whine on about delays – I presume they would rather forget the repairs and take their chance on dodgy rails.
I despair
Guest
Posts: n/a
Ooops nearly forgot
Yes, lets go nads, we do live in a democracy. However, is that……
a. The population votes in free and fair elections for a party whose aspirations they share.
or is it…
b. A small section of society holding the rest of the country to ransom in the hope that they can impose their views on it.
You can call a friend.
Yes, lets go nads, we do live in a democracy. However, is that……
a. The population votes in free and fair elections for a party whose aspirations they share.
or is it…
b. A small section of society holding the rest of the country to ransom in the hope that they can impose their views on it.
You can call a friend.
Guest
Posts: n/a
With reference to blockading supermarkets, I feel that everyone has a right to protest but if it evolves beyond the hilarity of two months ago then this goes beyond protest and is terrorism. Damn right to train up the Army. First you can't buy bread, then you can't by petrol. This country gets more like Russia everyday.
sB [don't have nightmares. Stay at home it's just easier that way]
Sorry, a little off thread - resuming normal service shortly.
sB [don't have nightmares. Stay at home it's just easier that way]
Sorry, a little off thread - resuming normal service shortly.
Guest
Posts: n/a
So the Gov has trained 1000 troops to drive the tankers.
This should be the biggest laugh since Tone and his chums promised no new taxes!
According to the press, only BP owns it's own tankers.
The rest are largely privately owned Tractor units on hire to the fuel comapnies to pull the tanker bits.
So presumably, the gov is going to round up the owner/drivers at home, requisition their tractors, put soldiers into them and drive them away!
No mention of hire purchase payments, loss of profits, insurance, etc, not to mention the crime of "taking without the owners consent" when the owners rightly call the constabulary!
It looks like a whole bundle of fun!
------------------
Bluelabel
This should be the biggest laugh since Tone and his chums promised no new taxes!
According to the press, only BP owns it's own tankers.
The rest are largely privately owned Tractor units on hire to the fuel comapnies to pull the tanker bits.
So presumably, the gov is going to round up the owner/drivers at home, requisition their tractors, put soldiers into them and drive them away!
No mention of hire purchase payments, loss of profits, insurance, etc, not to mention the crime of "taking without the owners consent" when the owners rightly call the constabulary!
It looks like a whole bundle of fun!
------------------
Bluelabel
Guest
Posts: n/a
Damn! My secret plan to take over the world (well, the UK anyway) has been foiled by Bluelabel and PPRuNe Towers! Ah well, just have to stand down the boys then ...
Yes, this is a democracy and when you have 94% of the population telling the government they want something changed, the government should do something about it - pronto!
They could quite easily have 'spun' this so that they looked like the good guys - blamed the previous government for introducing the tax and recinding it immediately; then citing that as an example of 'people power' (which they were very fond of in Indonesia and Jugoslavia) and the 'caring government' working in tandem. Instead, it's going to be this and the dome that the voters will remember at the next election - and Tone and his boys and babes will be out.
About bl**dy time too!
------------------
Happiness is a warm L1011
Yes, this is a democracy and when you have 94% of the population telling the government they want something changed, the government should do something about it - pronto!
They could quite easily have 'spun' this so that they looked like the good guys - blamed the previous government for introducing the tax and recinding it immediately; then citing that as an example of 'people power' (which they were very fond of in Indonesia and Jugoslavia) and the 'caring government' working in tandem. Instead, it's going to be this and the dome that the voters will remember at the next election - and Tone and his boys and babes will be out.
About bl**dy time too!
------------------
Happiness is a warm L1011
Guest
Posts: n/a
Yet more foot-in-mouth disease being shown by the government 
- from today's Telegraph:
and amidst the chaos of rail, road and air disruption, John "Two Jags" Prescott's latest wizzo scheme to get Britain moving is...:
------------------
Happiness is a warm L1011
[This message has been edited by The Guvnor (edited 31 October 2000).]
- from today's Telegraph:
THE Government was accused last night of provoking panic buying of petrol
after it urged industry, the NHS and other essential services to build up stocks
to meet the threat of serious disruption to supplies in two weeks.
Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, said even though troops were being trained
to drive tankers the Army would be able to deliver less than half the petrol
and diesel supplies needed by the nation. His warning came as the
Government confirmed that 1,000 Army personnel had been trained to drive
civilian petrol tankers as part of the Government's contingency plans for
dealing with any future fuel duty protests.
Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative transport spokesman, who will meet leaders
of the fuel protesters today, said Mr Straw's comments could "only provoke
panic buying among the population as a whole". He said the Government had
been "humiliated" at the hands of the protesters last month because they had
such widespread public support. Ministers should now reverse the "stealth
taxes" on petrol and diesel rather than draw up plans to maintain them.
Mr Jenkin will tell leaders of the People's Fuel Lobby that while the Tories
back their campaign for lower fuel duties they will not support direct action or
disruption. "If Labour fails to act, the Conservatives will cut petrol and diesel
taxes by 3p a litre as a step towards fairer taxation on hauliers, farmers and all
those who depend upon their cars," said Mr Jenkin yesterday.
Downing Street later denied that Mr Straw's warning would lead to panic
buying of petrol as the protesters' Nov 13 deadline for a renewed blockade
neared. Mr Blair's official spokesman said the Government was making
"prudent plans" together with the fuel industry for coping with further
disruption.
Mark Francis, one of the leading figures in the fuel duty lobby, said the
Government faced the real prospect of renewed direct action if it failed to
respond to the protesters' 60-day deadline. "If they don't, after Day 60, I'm
afraid it will be out of our control; the people will obviously go back to direct
action," he told BBC Radio.
Mr Straw said the Government intended to be better prepared for any
renewed protests than it was during the last demonstrations in September and
aimed to keep essential supplies flowing. But he acknowledged that there was
a limit to what the Government could achieve. "We have laid in contingency
plans and . . . we are aiming to do our very best to ensure that supplies for
essential users are kept going," Mr Straw told the BBC.
"But we do not have any way in the world in which we could maintain
supplies, even at 50 per cent, if there was very significant disruption. This
places a responsibility on government; it places a responsibility on industry
and organisations like the health service to get in stocks." Mr Straw
underlined the Government's determination to stand firm against protesters
who sought to "use their muscle" to secure demands "in a way that would
unquestionably harm very many other people".
The Home Secretary said that last month's protests had threatened the proper
running of the NHS and were on the verge of causing severe damage to
industry when they were called off. Submitting to all of the protesters'
demands would damage the economy. Mr Straw insisted that there was
substantial evidence that tanker drivers had been intimidated during the
September protests.
In the Commons, John Spellar, the Armed Forces minister, said troops would
be called in if civilian drivers could not maintain the supply of essential services
to the nation.
John Wilkinson, Conservative MP for Ruislip Northwood, questioned the use
of troops to drive fuel tankers. He asked: "Is it not the kind of sabre rattling
that is likely to inflame industrial relations rather than calm them down?"
after it urged industry, the NHS and other essential services to build up stocks
to meet the threat of serious disruption to supplies in two weeks.
Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, said even though troops were being trained
to drive tankers the Army would be able to deliver less than half the petrol
and diesel supplies needed by the nation. His warning came as the
Government confirmed that 1,000 Army personnel had been trained to drive
civilian petrol tankers as part of the Government's contingency plans for
dealing with any future fuel duty protests.
Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative transport spokesman, who will meet leaders
of the fuel protesters today, said Mr Straw's comments could "only provoke
panic buying among the population as a whole". He said the Government had
been "humiliated" at the hands of the protesters last month because they had
such widespread public support. Ministers should now reverse the "stealth
taxes" on petrol and diesel rather than draw up plans to maintain them.
Mr Jenkin will tell leaders of the People's Fuel Lobby that while the Tories
back their campaign for lower fuel duties they will not support direct action or
disruption. "If Labour fails to act, the Conservatives will cut petrol and diesel
taxes by 3p a litre as a step towards fairer taxation on hauliers, farmers and all
those who depend upon their cars," said Mr Jenkin yesterday.
Downing Street later denied that Mr Straw's warning would lead to panic
buying of petrol as the protesters' Nov 13 deadline for a renewed blockade
neared. Mr Blair's official spokesman said the Government was making
"prudent plans" together with the fuel industry for coping with further
disruption.
Mark Francis, one of the leading figures in the fuel duty lobby, said the
Government faced the real prospect of renewed direct action if it failed to
respond to the protesters' 60-day deadline. "If they don't, after Day 60, I'm
afraid it will be out of our control; the people will obviously go back to direct
action," he told BBC Radio.
Mr Straw said the Government intended to be better prepared for any
renewed protests than it was during the last demonstrations in September and
aimed to keep essential supplies flowing. But he acknowledged that there was
a limit to what the Government could achieve. "We have laid in contingency
plans and . . . we are aiming to do our very best to ensure that supplies for
essential users are kept going," Mr Straw told the BBC.
"But we do not have any way in the world in which we could maintain
supplies, even at 50 per cent, if there was very significant disruption. This
places a responsibility on government; it places a responsibility on industry
and organisations like the health service to get in stocks." Mr Straw
underlined the Government's determination to stand firm against protesters
who sought to "use their muscle" to secure demands "in a way that would
unquestionably harm very many other people".
The Home Secretary said that last month's protests had threatened the proper
running of the NHS and were on the verge of causing severe damage to
industry when they were called off. Submitting to all of the protesters'
demands would damage the economy. Mr Straw insisted that there was
substantial evidence that tanker drivers had been intimidated during the
September protests.
In the Commons, John Spellar, the Armed Forces minister, said troops would
be called in if civilian drivers could not maintain the supply of essential services
to the nation.
John Wilkinson, Conservative MP for Ruislip Northwood, questioned the use
of troops to drive fuel tankers. He asked: "Is it not the kind of sabre rattling
that is likely to inflame industrial relations rather than calm them down?"
JOHN PRESCOTT disclosed his secret plan last night to get Britain moving
again after the rail and weather chaos: mandatory bicycle bells.
As commuters battled their way home, the Deputy Prime Minister's mammoth
transport department announced that, in future, bicycles will have to be sold
with bells on. The Prescott scheme with bells on surprised MPs, many of
whom struggled to reach Westminster yesterday following the chaos caused
by safety checks on the railways and the gales.
His idea will delight the safety lobby which has argued for bicycles to be
equipped with some method for alerting pedestrians to their approach. The
Pedestrian Association has called for action against "Lycra louts" who ride on
pavements at high speed. But the Tories said that the Government had got its
priorities wrong.
Bernard Jenkin, shadow transport spokesman, said: "Britain is at a complete
standstill. The trains are in chaos, half of England is flooded and the roads are
jam-packed. We have a transport crisis and what does this Government
announce?"
Mr Jenkin, a keen cyclist who uses his collapsible bicycle to get around
London, added: "As cyclists know, compulsory bicycle bells are about as
relevant to road safety as compulsory whistles or hooters."
again after the rail and weather chaos: mandatory bicycle bells.
As commuters battled their way home, the Deputy Prime Minister's mammoth
transport department announced that, in future, bicycles will have to be sold
with bells on. The Prescott scheme with bells on surprised MPs, many of
whom struggled to reach Westminster yesterday following the chaos caused
by safety checks on the railways and the gales.
His idea will delight the safety lobby which has argued for bicycles to be
equipped with some method for alerting pedestrians to their approach. The
Pedestrian Association has called for action against "Lycra louts" who ride on
pavements at high speed. But the Tories said that the Government had got its
priorities wrong.
Bernard Jenkin, shadow transport spokesman, said: "Britain is at a complete
standstill. The trains are in chaos, half of England is flooded and the roads are
jam-packed. We have a transport crisis and what does this Government
announce?"
Mr Jenkin, a keen cyclist who uses his collapsible bicycle to get around
London, added: "As cyclists know, compulsory bicycle bells are about as
relevant to road safety as compulsory whistles or hooters."
Happiness is a warm L1011 [This message has been edited by The Guvnor (edited 31 October 2000).]
Guest
Posts: n/a
Yes,the fuel strike was a bit of a laugh but it cost my small company £20,000 in lost business(car/van rental)over the week of disruption.Many small companies will go to the wall if this escalates.
A democracy means peaceful protests with no disruption to others going about their lawful business.
The farmers have cost the taxpayer £5b with the BSE fiasco and feel they have a God given right to be bailed out whenever the market goes against them.Who will bail me out?No one because the market dictates that only the strong survive.If everyone went on strike and wrecked other peoples businesses whenever they had a grievance we would end up with anarchy and mob rule.
A democracy means peaceful protests with no disruption to others going about their lawful business.
The farmers have cost the taxpayer £5b with the BSE fiasco and feel they have a God given right to be bailed out whenever the market goes against them.Who will bail me out?No one because the market dictates that only the strong survive.If everyone went on strike and wrecked other peoples businesses whenever they had a grievance we would end up with anarchy and mob rule.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Accordint to today's Telegraph, it looks like a four day nationwide rolling blockade is planned...
------------------
Happiness is a warm L1011
A HUGE convoy of fuel protesters will spend four days crossing England
from north to south, blocking motorways and cities along the way, in what
threatens to be the biggest civil action since the poll tax riots 10 years ago.
Protest organisers have rejected pleas from the Confederation of British
Industry not to revert to direct action, and claim that public opinion is behind
them. Digby Jones, the CBI's director general, said that such a demonstration
would cause immense economic harm to "Britain plc" and harm the nation's
reputation abroad.
He said: "The television images of blockades in the boardrooms of Detroit or
Johannesburg or Tokyo is not the image which will help anybody in the long
term. It is a big issue and I would call on people not to do it." However, the
Government appeared to have abandoned any hope of averting the protest
yesterday. Instead, ministers engaged in tough talk aimed at turning public
opinion against the protesters.
Tony Blair promised his full backing to police chiefs who have told him that
they will "vigorously" uphold the law when the protests begin again. He says in
an interview with today's Daily Mirror: "We have to act responsibly and
sensibly and no government can act on the basis of people threatening to bring
the country to a halt, or even blocking food supplies, or threatening
Armageddon or all the rest of it."
David Handley, the Monmouthshire farmer who is leading the People's Fuel
Lobby, claimed to have "110 per cent" public support for what he promised
will be a peaceful protest. He said: "The message is that this is the last time we
are coming to talk." With less than a fortnight before the expiry of their
60-day deadline for resuming action, the protesters have decided not to
repeat their blockade of fuel depots, not least because it was the tactic the
Government was most likely to be able to counter.
Instead, they plan a four-day drive towards London, with a convoy of lorries
setting out from Tyneside and being joined by others on the way. It will begin
on Nov 10, two days after Gordon Brown is due to deliver his autumn
statement to the Commons, which may include a concession on fuel duty.
After travelling through Newcastle upon Tyne and York on Nov 10, Leeds
and Manchester the following day, Stoke, Wolverhampton and Birmingham
on Nov 12, and Northampton and Milton Keynes on Nov 13, the convoy will
reach the Houses of Parliament on Nov 14, the day after the deadline expires.
A similar mass lobby would arrive in Edinburgh on the same day. Mark
Francis, a Welsh haulier and the vice chairman of the People's Fuel Lobby,
said: "The only thing which can call this off is a big cut in fuel duty announced
by Gordon Brown on Nov 8. We have opened our bidding at 26.2p per
litre,"
A 26.2p cut in fuel duty would cost the Exchequer an estimated £10.5 billion.
A cut of 15p, which might be sufficient to avert the protest, would cost about
£6 billion. Either figure is likely to be unacceptably high for the Chancellor,
who insisted that he will stick to his financial strategy "even when facing rising
oil prices, blockades and demands from individual sectors of the economy".
The Government, police and oil companies have spent weeks planning their
reaction to renewed fuel protests. However Malcolm Brinded, the chairman
of Shell UK, warned the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee,
which is carrying out an inquiry into the impact of fuel tax, that it would be
"foolish to be over-confident". He said: "There will be a restriction on supplies
we are able to deliver and it will have an impact on national life."
from north to south, blocking motorways and cities along the way, in what
threatens to be the biggest civil action since the poll tax riots 10 years ago.
Protest organisers have rejected pleas from the Confederation of British
Industry not to revert to direct action, and claim that public opinion is behind
them. Digby Jones, the CBI's director general, said that such a demonstration
would cause immense economic harm to "Britain plc" and harm the nation's
reputation abroad.
He said: "The television images of blockades in the boardrooms of Detroit or
Johannesburg or Tokyo is not the image which will help anybody in the long
term. It is a big issue and I would call on people not to do it." However, the
Government appeared to have abandoned any hope of averting the protest
yesterday. Instead, ministers engaged in tough talk aimed at turning public
opinion against the protesters.
Tony Blair promised his full backing to police chiefs who have told him that
they will "vigorously" uphold the law when the protests begin again. He says in
an interview with today's Daily Mirror: "We have to act responsibly and
sensibly and no government can act on the basis of people threatening to bring
the country to a halt, or even blocking food supplies, or threatening
Armageddon or all the rest of it."
David Handley, the Monmouthshire farmer who is leading the People's Fuel
Lobby, claimed to have "110 per cent" public support for what he promised
will be a peaceful protest. He said: "The message is that this is the last time we
are coming to talk." With less than a fortnight before the expiry of their
60-day deadline for resuming action, the protesters have decided not to
repeat their blockade of fuel depots, not least because it was the tactic the
Government was most likely to be able to counter.
Instead, they plan a four-day drive towards London, with a convoy of lorries
setting out from Tyneside and being joined by others on the way. It will begin
on Nov 10, two days after Gordon Brown is due to deliver his autumn
statement to the Commons, which may include a concession on fuel duty.
After travelling through Newcastle upon Tyne and York on Nov 10, Leeds
and Manchester the following day, Stoke, Wolverhampton and Birmingham
on Nov 12, and Northampton and Milton Keynes on Nov 13, the convoy will
reach the Houses of Parliament on Nov 14, the day after the deadline expires.
A similar mass lobby would arrive in Edinburgh on the same day. Mark
Francis, a Welsh haulier and the vice chairman of the People's Fuel Lobby,
said: "The only thing which can call this off is a big cut in fuel duty announced
by Gordon Brown on Nov 8. We have opened our bidding at 26.2p per
litre,"
A 26.2p cut in fuel duty would cost the Exchequer an estimated £10.5 billion.
A cut of 15p, which might be sufficient to avert the protest, would cost about
£6 billion. Either figure is likely to be unacceptably high for the Chancellor,
who insisted that he will stick to his financial strategy "even when facing rising
oil prices, blockades and demands from individual sectors of the economy".
The Government, police and oil companies have spent weeks planning their
reaction to renewed fuel protests. However Malcolm Brinded, the chairman
of Shell UK, warned the Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee,
which is carrying out an inquiry into the impact of fuel tax, that it would be
"foolish to be over-confident". He said: "There will be a restriction on supplies
we are able to deliver and it will have an impact on national life."
Happiness is a warm L1011
Guest
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Guv, you've made it quite clear which side of the political fence you sit on from numerous postings, (bit strange for a Scotsman.) Are you seriously suggesting that Hague and his cronies would form a more effective Government? Please tell me you're not serious. If you're using the fuel situation as ammo think again, the Tories are saying that they would cut 3p of fuel, which the hauliers and farmers have said they can go and shove.
And remember that the Dome was originally a Tory idea under Major and I don't hear too many people moaning about the London Eye.
Hague moans about the Government being "Populist" but then goes and brags about his 14 pints, makes super little documenteries about himself and jumps on any bandwagon at the time, so desperate for any kind of opinion poll points.
Sorry, Hague will always be that little creep of a kid who stood at the Tory conference with a big stiffy as he faced his Ultimate female fantasy and i think another one of your heroes, Thatcher!
c'mon Guv I know you have to be joking!
And remember that the Dome was originally a Tory idea under Major and I don't hear too many people moaning about the London Eye.
Hague moans about the Government being "Populist" but then goes and brags about his 14 pints, makes super little documenteries about himself and jumps on any bandwagon at the time, so desperate for any kind of opinion poll points.
Sorry, Hague will always be that little creep of a kid who stood at the Tory conference with a big stiffy as he faced his Ultimate female fantasy and i think another one of your heroes, Thatcher!
c'mon Guv I know you have to be joking!
Guest
Posts: n/a
Excuse me for showing my ignorance,but why are the farmers involved in this cheaper fuel malarky,I thought they used the red diesel for their tractors,or would they like another subsidy for that too.??Or perhaps they want paying for not using it (a la set-aside)
Guest
Posts: n/a
Despite our Government's recent failure to capture (and therefore act on) British feeling with regards to highly inflammable liqiuds, at least our boys patrolling the skies of Northern Iraq still hold the Deputy Prime Minister in high esteem - they have named the VC10 refuellers out there "Prescotts" , because the old bird can refuel 2 Jags at the same time.