“WE WILL not give up.”
That was the overwhelming message from fuel protesters who are gearing up to stage another demonstration near Chester.
Organisers Kevin Bowker, of Saltney, and Ian Charlesworth, of Hawarden, have spoken to the Leader about their determination to push fuel prices down through a series of anti-fuel hike protests. Father-of-four, Mr Bowker, 40, has drafted a letter voicing the group’s concerns which they intend to fax to Prime Minister David Cameron this week.
The protest, which will take place on Friday, February 25, comes after a go-slow outside of the Stanlow Oil Refinery, in Ellesmere Port, last month.
The “people’s protest” attracted more than 300 motorists, 150 vehicles and national attention from TV broadcasters BBC and Sky News.
Ian and Kevin hope that their next stand against the “crippling price of fuel” will gain more than 500 fellow protesters and even more national coverage.
Mr Bowker, a football referee, who spends more than £85 a week on petrol, said: “All of us are affected by the price of fuel.
“We have seen food costs rise because it comes by road and I just can’t see when it is going to stop.
“We are trying to raise awareness and to get the government to knock down the price of fuel by at least 15p.”
If was reported this week that inflation jumped to 3.7 per cent in December and analysts now expect inflation figures to show a rate of 4.1 per cent for January, as the VAT hike from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent on January 4 and soaring commodity costs pushed up the cost of living.
The price of petrol, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, was £1.27 a litre in January, which the Office for National Statistics said was a record high.
Recent statistics have shown record highs in petrol prices across Chester and Ellesmere Port, with some petrol stations charging as much as 129.9p per litre for unleaded and 134.9p for diesel.
Mr Charlesworth said that the 15 per cent rise in fuel in just 12 months was “unacceptable”.
Mr Charlesworth, 47, said: “The government’s policy on sorting the deficit is wrong as it is having an adverse effect on the public.
“It is about time people stood up and were counted.
“We all know that the deficit needs sorting but there are other ways to sort it out.”
The event, which has already gained 122 signatories on its Facebook page, will start at the Lorry Park, at Chester Services, at junction 14 of the M56 at 7pm.
Farmers, local and national hauliers, small distribution firms and families have all joined the fight.
Nationally it is believed that similar protests will be staged in South Wales and Sunderland on February 25.
The car and foot protest will go-slow along the A5117 along the Stanlow Oil Refinery site and through Ellesmere Port Town Centre – bringing night time traffic to a standstill.
On the Facebook event site, Mr Bowker urges people to pass on the message in a bid to encourage as many people as possible to join in the protest.
n 2000 about 100 farmers and truckers blocked access to the refinery, followed by two protests in 2005.
A blockade in 2008 saw more than 130 protesters stand in front of the oil refinery for about four hours following a hike in fuel duty.