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City Desk
Hikes in fuel costs are likely to see a new wave of angry protests by truckers in theUK that may cause gridlock and widespread disruption.
Protests planned by the "TransAction Group" which last summer brought 230 trucks to the roads of London, is claiming its members are incensed at the rising cost of fuel with oil breaking the $72 barrel level.
This morning in London forecourts of BP and Esso were selling unleaded fuel at 101.5p compared to around 86.5p five months ago. Truckers are annoyed that the government is pressing ahead with plans to raise fuel duty by 2p a litre from September; despite a price hike of 1.84p and 2p a litre in December.
It is also being claimed in The Guardian that a 355% per cent increase in the number of truckers claiming Job Seekers Allowance, with around 15,000 people out of work is a sign that the road haulage industry is in a severe crisis.
Jo Tanner a spokesperson for the Freight Transport Association said to The Guardian:
"Many hauliers are already on their knees and the return of successive above inflation fuel duty will signal the death knell of many".
Fuel speculators are even projecting that crude could reach $250 a barrel with a year.
Meanwhile the capital is recovering from the 48 hour strike by the RMT on the London Underground, services are expected to resume to normality today. photo credit: Flickr.com
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