A PETROL station boss slapped a £10 surcharge on fuel as panic buying spread last night.
Drivers were told they could have just £10 worth of petrol - and must pay the £10 charge if they wanted to buy more.
The manager at the Texaco station in London Road, Poynton, insisted the aim was to encourage customers not to panic but he later backed down after complaints.
The frenzied buying was sparked by threats of a protest outside oil refineries lasting from today until Friday. The Fuel Lobby also planned slow-moving motorway convoys after petrol prices rose to more than £1 a litre in some areas.
Worried motorists formed long queues at the pumps and police had to redirect traffic away from some popular petrol stations during rush hour. An officer was sent to the Tesco forecourt in Upper Brook Street - a busy route out of the city.
At the Poynton Texaco, a mis-spelt sign was posted which said: "£10 only or £10 sure charge".
One woman filled her car with £50 worth of petrol but paid £60 because "she felt she had no choice".
Philip Jackson, from the station, said: "We introduced a voluntary £10 surcharge and this was clearly explained on notices on the forecourt and by our staff at the entrance.
"Although the maximum spend remains £10, we have now withdrawn the voluntary surcharge, having realised that it can be misinterpreted.
Encourage
"We apologise to customers and would be happy to refund any voluntary surcharge that was paid with proof of receipt."
He refused to say how many people paid the surcharge.
A Texaco spokesman said: "It is not our policy to introduce this charge. We understand the aim was to encourage customers not to panic buy and that it was done in good faith, if perhaps a little misguided."
Andy Robinson, 45, from Poynton, whose wife narrowly avoided the surcharge, said: "I think it was a blatant rip-off and they were cashing in on the situation. That's my local station and I'll try to avoid using it in future."
Shell's refinery at Stanlow, near Ellesmere Port, which was at the centre of petrol protests in 2000, could once again be a prime target for protesters.
Layout
But Cheshire Police say changes to the road layout have made it harder to protest there without blocking the road and causing safety problems.
Chief Constable Peter Fahy said: "The police have a responsibility to safeguard the right to peaceful protest, but blocking the highway is unlawful, as is the disruption of essential goods and services that rely on oil.
"We will take firm action as necessary and we are making arrangements to deal with any incidents."
Fuel Lobby spokesman Andrew Spence said protests would take place over the next three days but would not confirm the locations. Bramhall oil terminal in Poynton and Manchester fuel terminal at Trafford Wharf were also blockaded in the 2000 protests.
Mr Spence told the M.E.N: "We are not blockading anywhere, we are staging a series of peaceful protests at selected refineries across the country. We would strongly encourage people against panic buying."
David Handley from Farmers for Action, the main organiser of the 2000 protests, said they were not behind the new wave and he is not giving it his support.
He said: "We think it is a waste of time and as an organisation it is not something we are involved in. Some members will certainly be there and that is up to them, but I can't see this making a big impression."
Go-slow
It is understood there is a proposal for a go-slow from Birch services of the M62 to the services near Warrington, just past the M6, on Friday morning.
Welsh lorry drivers have already confirmed they are planning a go-slow in west Wales on Friday.
In 2000, some petrol tanker drivers refused to drive through picket lines but it seems unlikely they will do the same this time.
A spokesman for the Road Hauliers' Assocation said: "The advice we are giving members is that there is no legal reason to refuse to pass a picket line.
"But from the feedback we're getting, our members don't want to be stopped and want to carry on with their jobs as normal."
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "At this stage, there is no intelligence to suggest there will be any fuel protests in the Greater Manchester area.
"In the event that a protest is held, we have contingencies in place to deal with any disruption.
"We would encourage motorists to please continue with their normal routine and not panic-buy fuel, as this only serves to exacerbate the problem."
Have you queued for petrol this week? Have your say.
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The blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the government, due to the excessive amounts of tax they put on fuel. the motorist road hauliers and Farmers are hit far to hard and the tax should be reduced.
OPEC itself has to share a proportion of the blame! They know what is required of them regarding production, yet they have a relaxed atmosphere to this, but not so the billions they make in proffit...........!!!!
No i havnt queued this week and i dont plan on doing its absolutely rediculous!!! If people just went about it the normal way instead of filling up 2 the brim it wouldnt leave people short in the first place. If i remember correctly it all blew over soon enough in 2001...do people not learn anything!!!! People will have cars sat in there drive full of petrol long after this has blown over and so what will have beee the point in queuing?? None what so ever..everyone sees a queue and so jumps and the band wagon cos they panic!!! Well i for one wont be doing it and if every followed suit we'd all be ok!
Samantha, Dont you read back over something once you have written it??? Clearly not!!
We all know that this country has one of the highjest combined tax and duty regimes on fuel. This government is only too happy to take the extra duty and VAT into it's coffers that is generated from any increase. Yes the cause is, as we all know , a lack of price stabilty in the world market but why should we have to wait until either Gordon or Tony sort out this world's problems.
Our European partners are taking individual action to help their own economies by reducing some of the local taxation on fuel.
Perhaps this is a part of European activity that this Government thinkls we should be excluded from!
Why don't they reduce the VAT on ALL FUELS - petrol,diesel,gas and electricity from 17.5% to 10% NOW and save this country from the excesses that abound in the world.
A reduction in fuel tax will only mean that the goverment will have to raise the revenue elsewhere. As for the panic buying it is completley foolish, so what if you run out of petrol if it means you have a valid excuse for a day of work them all the better, in fact keep up the panic buying folks, I fancy a day off.
A tax on the stupid. I like it!
Increase the price to B#1.50. That will get you lazy idiots off the road. Half the people with cars don't need them.
I went to my local petrol station for a packet of frazzles and some Sunny Delight but it was too busy.
Katie this is not a site to have a go at others peoples spelling, if thats your comment on this fuel crisis you got to be a sad person. i agree that the public shouldnt panic buy, but to add a B#10 surcharge is criminal in its self
What is wrong with people, get off your lazy backsides and out of your cars and WALK, USE A BIKE, Stop being such slaves to your cars
Chris Reddy what a fool you are.
How do you know if people need their cars or not?
If you choose not to drive or can't drive that is your choice.
Yes we can walk instead of driving for some journies but not all. Do these none-drivers really go to the supermarket walking or on their cycles? Perhaps you live next to good transport links? Not all of us do.
I do think though that in emergency times that rationing would be a good idea. Many people have filled the tanks of cars they hardly use and which will last them months whilst others can't make journies as they can't get enough petrol to do it.
Decades of public transport failings have left many people with little option but to use their own car in reasonable safety and comfort. I used to drive to Saford every day - the bus/train was not a viable/reliable/safe/punctual option.
Cycling 30 miles a day might have done me some good but at the considerable risk of ingesting fumes and being wiped out by careless motorist. Anyway, would you chain your bike up anywhere near Regent Road ;-)
Cut tax by25% .Solve a lot of
problems .cost of fuelwould be acceptable without damaging the ecconamy.
Reducing the tax on fuel will not work, it will simply allow people to go on more car rides thus destroying nature and things. And anyway, if God had wanted us to drive cars he would have given us more eyes. Walk I say! As for fuel blockades - if those drivers can afford to take a day off work to protest then surely they don't deserve any sympathy.
I can't believe the government has got away with the rediculous level of tax on petrol for so long... we pay 47p fuel duty, Plus VAT!!! I find it incredible the VAT is taken on the price as a whole, so we also pay VAT on the actual duty!! what Added Value am I getting by being taxed on paying tax??
The worst of it is all the people who just sit back and take it, and even moan that others are trying to solve the problem. No wonder the country gets fleeced. Gordon knows we won't do anything about it as we're all too worried that it might cause a few days inconvenience. I work in a rural area, and need my car. The way it stands over 30 percent of my income goes on petrol.
i would like to say that i support the protest ,i think it is in everybodys interest to support it ,they are pay way to much tax than other countrys in europe.
it is not opecs problem it is a goverments problem , it is another hit at the motorist .
if you short change enybody in a shop or other outlet ! the public will protest very strongly even if it a few pence yet the goverment can rip them off of hundreds of pounds a year and nothing is said.
i think it is about time the public stood up for its self and said NO!!!!!!!!!to high prices.
pph
I do drive but honestly, the reaction of some people has been ridiculous. fighting at forecourts etc. Why not car pool, let your kids walk to school or catch the bus, today I saw load of 4x4 gas guzzlers with mothers driving one kid to school
no wonder people are so fat these days