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Fuel protests to bring roads to standstill as millions go on holiday on Friday | UK News


Fuel price protests planned for Friday will cause chaos on major roads as millions of families go on vacation.

The protesters plan to cause delays with “slow moving barriers” – when motorists drive very slowly – on parts of the M4, M5, M32 and A38, police warned.

A Facebook group with 53,000 members shared a post asking activists to rally “nationwide” to show their voices.

Protests have been planned in Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, London and Manchester.

An estimated 18.8 million leisure trips are planned in the UK between Friday and Monday, as schools across England and Wales split for the summer, the RAC said.

The M25 is expected to be hardest hit by traffic jams, especially between Bromley and Dartford Crossing; Maple Cross and M3; and M23 to M40.

Queues are also likely to grow on the A303 near Stonehenge, Wiltshire; The M4 between Cardiff and Newport, south Wales, and the M5 south of Bristol, according to transport analysis firm, Inrix.

This is the latest in a series of demonstrations amid growing anger about fuel crisis – as the record price shows people across the nation fighting to stay financially.

Avon and Somerset Police said their protest liaison team was engaged with protest organizers to help minimize disruption.

But director Tony Blatchford warned journeys could be longer than usual, especially on highways that are already busy at this time of year.

“We advise motorists to review any alternative travel plans and make sure they are prepared appropriately in case of delays,” he said.

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A protester in early July delivered a colorful message to those he saw as benefiting from high fuel prices.

On Friday, a convoy will head north on the M5 between Bridgwater and Almondsbury Junction from around 8:45am, then head east along the M4 and arrive at Junction 1 of the M32.

Expect to leave the highway and stop “for a while” before completing the same route in the opposite direction.

Police said they would return to Bridgewater in the early afternoon.

A second group is planning to block a Shell gas station in Bristol Road, Bridgewater, on Friday morning.

Earlier this week, protesters caused major disruption by climbing signs above the M25.

Motorists must also brace themselves for lengthy delays at the Port of Dover following a three-hour wait to complete border controls and administration on Thursday.

A port spokesman said: “Due to high demand and earlier capacity issues at the border, the port system is working hard to catch up and get people through as quickly as possible.”

12 people arrested after similar slowing tactics brought parts of the M4 down on 4 July.

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Driver ‘anaphylactic shock’ stuck in gas protest

Discounted prices are not passed on to the driver

New RAC analysis shows just 4% of front-runners are charging less than 180p a litre.

Four of those five sites are independent – the rest are owned by supermarkets or oil companies.

Traditionally, supermarkets were the first to launch discounts.

Read more:
Nine tips to reduce the amount of fuel you use
What if I can’t afford to drive to work?

The average price at which retailers buy petrol has fallen by 17p a litre since the start of June.

But prices at the pump have fallen “slightly 4p”, the data showed.

The RAC believes motorists should pay 174p a liter of petrol and 189p for a diesel.

But the average price of a liter of petrol on Wednesday was 187.5p, while the price of diesel was 196.1p, according to data firm Experian.



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