Petrol prices in the United Kingdom reached a new high, sparking a wave of go-slow demonstrations on the country’s highways. According to RAC data, petrol reached an all-time high of 191.53 pence ($2.32) per litre, while diesel fell just short of the mark, at 199.03 pence. The spike is fueling the fastest rate of UK inflation in years. According to the RAC, wholesale fuel costs have now fallen for five weeks in a row, raising the question of why there hasn’t been an equivalent drop at the pump at grocery shops.
Protesters are demonstrating on motorways in England, Wales, and Scotland in response to rising petrol prices. Police have warned of “severe disruption throughout the day” as demonstrators demand a reduction in gasoline charge.
Convoys of automobiles travelling slowly in two lanes, leaving the “fast” outside lane free, are mostly targeting three-lane highways. According to police, one person has been arrested for “unsafe driving.”
The following roadways are among those affected by the disruption:
the M4 and Prince of Wales Bridge
the M5 in Devon
the M32
the A38
the M180 in Lincolnshire
the A12 in Essex
the A92 in Scotland
the A64 near York
Convoys travelling in both directions toward the Prince of Wales Bridge, which spans the River Severn between England and Wales, were slowed down by rolling roadblocks that blocked portions of the M4.
Officers stopped the protest on the westbound road before it reached the crossing while the bridge was closed in the eastbound direction. However, just before noon, Gwent Police reported that both directions of the bridge had reopened. Superintendent Tom Harding reported “severe delays” inside the force.
The M4, M5, and M32 had seen slow-moving obstacles, according to Avon and Somerset Police, but protestors were anticipated to take a breather before making their way back down the path.
Police Scotland advised drivers to maintain a safe speed for the road conditions and added that it was aware of protests occurring on highways and trunk roads. However, the force issued a warning that travel times might be lengthier than usual. West Yorkshire police said that officers had used a “single tyre deflation device” near the Ferrybridge services in the early phases of the protest. In Lincolnshire, police blocked junction one between the M180 and M18, forcing demonstrators to remain on the former. The device had not been utilised, no vehicles had been harmed, and it had subsequently been removed, according to the force.