COMMUTERS faced chaos in Greater Manchester this morning as 500 bikers joined a rush-hour go-slow fuel protest on some of the region's busiest roads.
Police closed all three lanes of the westbound M62 around 8am to allow the convoy - which crawled along at 15mph - to join the motorway from Birch service station near Middleton.
A series of rolling road blocks set up by police slowed traffic along the route to a crawling place and commuters reported being stuck in static traffic for up to half an hour.
The bikers stopped their engines for 10 minutes on the M602 after police prevented them from heading along Regent Road and towards the city centre.
They eventually turned down Trafford Road to finish the protest at Salford Quays.
Tailbacks appeared to stretch miles back along the route, which ran down the M62, M60, M602 motorways.
Protestors had begun gathering as early as 6.00am, with some coming from Yorkshire and other parts of Lancashire to join the protests. An estimated 500 bikers were joined by dozens of lorries and other vehicles - including cars, Land Rovers, industrial trucks, skip lorries and an ice cream van.
Outriders
Police were on hand with outriders to keep an eye on the convoy.
Biker Eric Curren, 56, a lifelong enthusiast said that recent price hikes had meant he was costing him twice as much to fill his vehicle.
He said: "I've been biking for the last 40 years and it's never been this bad. I don't have any other means of transport so it's essential for me to get about."
Machine operator, Kevin Hyde, a dad of two from Ashton said his family had been hit hard by the growing fuel prices.
He said: "Most bikers have got a car as well and my wife will drive the kids to school and back. I need my bike to get to work every day and we're having to keep one or other in the garage these days."
One biker who gave his name as Bobcat, 42, had travelled from Bradford for the protests on a modified Triumph tricycle.
He said: "It used to cost me just £7 to fill up the bike. Now it costs £15. It doesn't sound like much to pay but it really cuts down on where I can go and where I can go. Biking is my hobby. It's a great hobby and I don't see why I should be penalised."
Honked their horns
Truck drivers parked at the station honked their horns in encouragement, while members of the public lining the route clapped and cheered as the protestors - who are calling for the scrapping of VAT on petrol - passed by.
A dozen people gathered to watch the blockade at Junction 17 of the M60 at Whitefield.
Gary Hutchinson, 47, a technical support worker from Gorton said: "I totally back them. I wish I had taken the day of so I could be down with them.
"Fuel duty in this country is outrageous; the government are making a killing on the back of the motorists. I hope that people continue to protest like this and that the government start listening to us."
Among the convoy were Nick and Andrea Adamson who run Farnworth MOT Centre near Bolton.
Nick, whose truck was fitted with a speaker blasting out the Specials song ''Ghost Town'', said: "Because of the fuel crisis Farnworth is now a ghost town. We have been in business for 11 years and this is the worst I've ever known it. The Government must see sense and do something about the cost of fuel."
Andrea said: "It cost us £100 to fill our truck with fuel and we travel all over the country recovering vehicles. We have a situation where customers are telling us they can't bring their cars in for an MOT until the end of the month when they get paid because they can't afford to put petrol in it to bring it to our garage."
"Desperate"
Nick added: "We're working twice as hard to try and keep the business going but the situation is desperate."
The convoy, which had wanted to travel into Manchester down Regent Road, found their route blocked by police after the Highways Agency decided to close the end of the M602 to all traffic.
Protesters had to divert down Trafford Road - but not before they had switched off their engines for 10 minutes to mark their anger. They finally arrived at their destination in Salford Quays at around 9.45am.
The protest came as Labour backbenchers joined a chorus of voices warning Gordon Brown not to go ahead with a planned 2p increase in fuel duty this autumn.
Graham Stringer, MP for Manchester Blackley, said: "The government has not reacted quickly enough to the pressures on the household budgets. The 2p increase is an example of that and we need to take action."
The protesters are calling on the government to remove the VAT that is levied on British fuel - the most costly in Europe.
AA figures suggest only 48p on every £1.15 litre of petrol is made up of production, delivery and retail margin. A further 50p is fuel duty and a further 17p is VAT.
That makes a total of 67p in tax - compared to the equivalent of 35p in Ireland and 31p in Spain.
A Highways Agency spokesman said the convoy had `clearly caused some disruption' but said things had run relatively smoothly.
"It has gone very well and we have worked to minimise disruption as much as possible," he said. "It is hard to tell exactly what impact this had but it is fair to say the rush hour has been extended by at least half an hour and drivers trying to join the motorway have had to wait."
Comments
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"commuters reported being stuck in static traffic for up to half an hour"
Only half an hour? That is nothing accomplished. Do this for the whole country. Block the M1-M9 together with the truckers for 24 hours and see how the government will like it! Companies will not loose much with a half hour delay, but halt the country for 24 hours and they will loose millions. The government will not listen to common people but let big companies put pressure on them instead.
"Bobcat, 42, travelled from Bradford for the protests on a modified Triumph tricycle. He said: "It used to cost me just £7 to fill up the bike. Now it costs £15."
Bobcat, why aren't you at work today?
It used to cost 4 old pence to fill up a bag of chips. It's called inflation. One of the things which has caused it, Bobcat, is people who don't go to work but prefer to live on handouts, whilst protesting about tax streams.
"A dozen people gathered to watch the blockade at Junction 17 of the M60 at Whitefield. "
Support of all the drivers - My ****
Wonderful to see that yet again Manchester is far better at organisation than London, slowing all three lanes rather than just one.
"Because of the fuel crisis Farnworth is now a ghost town"
It wasn't last time I looked
There was easily over a thousand motorbikes there! And I spoke to one guy who had come from Aviemore. The support from other drivers was amazing; my ears are still ringing from the sound.
Thanks also to the police officer who let my son pose for a photo on his motorbike - it made his day.
I think that this was fabulous and I fully support them - the petrol prices are horrendous at the moment and pushing peoiple further into debt.
Hats off to everyone who took part and I'm totally all for it.
It won't make one bit of difference though.
What chaos? I got to work on my bicycle even quicker than usual.
I believe that the MEN is under reporting the events today or putting the demonstration in a bad light............ A dozen people on the bridge of Junction 17 ........a whole half hour delay on the motorway. (I suffer this daily as I have to use the M602, M60 & M56)
It doesn’t sound like you are getting behind the cause......................
I use the M602, M60 & the M56 daily I can be in a normal jam for at least 30 mins daily
Agreed, quite the opposite of chaos. I left early to head to Salford and it actually took me less time to get to work today than it does normally.
Very poor protest - there needs to be a major national one for the government to take note of it.
They are not going to fill their pants cos a few bikers went slow for 1/2 an hour are they?
Brilliant ride out, well done to the rest of us!! When the next one?
Dave THE K
Could the idiots who spent this morning wasting petrol by driving at at inefficient speed on the M62 please do so again tomorrow and indeed every workday. I got to work so quickly this morning I had time for coffee, cake and a shower. Thank you so much, I saved some fuel today by not having to queue while you lot (travelling from aviemore :) ) wasted a load of fuel that apparently you can not afford as it is too expensive.
Good on ya!
The way the brits protest is really to low key we are so bad at protesting that the government isnt that worried about protesters.we should do it like the french/italians etc,our fishermen just sit back and take whatever the government gives them the same goes for the farmerws its time to do protests the european way...
They also set fire to an EU flag.
The protest follows weeks of unrest over fuel costs and fishing quotas in France, Spain and Italy
500 people for the whole of Northern England with all that publicity.
Mission Accomplished? Look the petrol price has gone down. Food Prices have gone down and it's 1982.
Isn't there a runway protest this lot of shysters could join intead of holding up law abiding tax paying WORKERS merely tying to go about their daily life.
Alternatively they could get a job and try living in the real world.
Karney, you need to get a life.
why not all drive down to london, douse the houses of parliament in petrol, then set fire to it,watch Brown and his cronies squeel then. What happnened today won't make a bit of difference
are they not having another one at rush hour tonight?
jonno
Yes its those taxpaying working people this lot are trying to help.
Good on them I say!
No,there has been no immediate effect,but at leaset it makes people sit up and take notice!The majority of people out there are tired of being taxed over and over to use private transport and these prrotestors have done us a favour.
67.5% of the price of petrol/diesel goes to government coffers to let them pay for fancy kitchens and expensive wallpaper in second homes in London!!!Disgraceful.Viva more protests!
It's so simple.
We get out of Euro.con
Save Billions of £
Remove fuel tax then we is all happy.
"jonno Yes its those taxpaying working people this lot are trying to help. "
That from a non-tax paying non protester. Working people were busy getting on with their lives today and speaking as one, I'd rather get my help at the ballot box.
Some folk on here have COMPLETELY missed the point.
Fuel protests are against the Government's MASSIVE slice they take from what the oil companies make available for us to use everyday. The costs are crippling industry, pushing prices up and general setting the upwards spiral of more expence for EVERYONE.
Karney you may not agree but I am certain that when the fuel costs affect the price you pay for your rectal butt-plugs then you too may consider offering your support to those willing to speak out.
Massive thanks to the Manch plod for setting up the rolling roadblocks - thus slowing things down even more :-) - Nice one