PEOPLE’S fuel lobby leader Andrew Spence yesterday said: ‘Thousands will back a Unite tanker driver members strike’.
He told News Line: ‘It’s not just truck drivers, it’s taxi drivers, coach drivers and members of the public.
‘If you go to any forecourt people will tell you that fuel is too dear, they can’t afford it and something has to be done.
‘We’re telling the public, now is the time to stand up and do something – go to a forecourt, a roundabout, a depot – and do something.
‘Now is the time to make your voice heard. This is a democracy.
‘The government is putting up fuel duty by three per cent in August. It went up by five pence a litre last week – one place was charging £1.61 per litre, we’re heading for £2 a litre very quickly.’
Lorry driver Joe Givain said: ‘I’ve spoken to a number of tanker drivers and they are not happy with the hours and general working conditions.
‘Drivers are feeling this in every industry. They always get the short end of the stick.
‘After the government made the decision to announce “fill up your cars and jerrycans” they lifted the drivers’ hours limit so they could get fuel to the pumps.
‘It’s alright to lift sanctions when this government gets it wrong but they won’t lift them for drivers who want overtime to put bread on the table.
‘Most drivers will support the tanker drivers.
‘Fuel prices have been going up. We’re all disgruntled.
‘If the tanker drivers win it opens the door for the rest of us.’
Haulier Carl Green of King’s Lynn said: ‘Suppliers have already put prices up this week.
‘The government needs to come down on the suppliers not the tanker drivers.
‘They want to charge what they like.
‘Why can’t the government tell fuel suppliers they can only sell fuel at a set price.
‘I’ve got my own tank. The price I’m charged varies from week to week.
‘We back the tanker drivers. If they strike, every haulage driver should strike the week after.
‘We don’t want to hurt the public.
‘We should stop for a week. That would bring the country to a halt and force the government to give us a rebate.’