Posted: 4:09 PM, June 30, 2022
Updated: 5:46 PM June 30, 2022
Motorists could face disruptions on the main roads of Suffolk and Essex on Monday after plans to protest against rising fuel prices circulated on social media.
Protesters plan to block the A12 in Colchester during rush hour in the morning as part of the ‘Stand Up to Fuel Prices’ campaign across the UK.
A poster of the demonstration urged protesters to gather at Colchester United Stadium on Monday at 6am to block the A12 from 7am.
Organizers reminded participants that they “leave space between cars so that emergency services can pass.”
Essex police said they were aware of the possible protest and had made plans “to minimize disruptions”.
A spokesman for the force said: “We have been informed of posts on social media related to a possible protest on Monday 4 July.
Protesters are planning a demonstration on the A12 against high fuel prices – Credit: PA
“We are overseeing the event and have made plans to minimize disruptions, keep people safe and keep Essex moving.”
Publications have also circulated on social media about possible protests on the roads of Suffolk.
A Suffolk police spokesman said: “We are aware of the discussions on social media platforms related to the planned national protest against fuel costs on July 4 and this includes this activity on Suffolk roads.
“The police have carefully assessed this planned activity and have the right answers.”
Meanwhile, fuel thefts at UK service stations have reached record levels amid rising pump prices.
The industry body, the Association of Gas Retailers (PRA), said that outbound incidents, where a motorist fills up and does not try to pay before leaving, have increased by 61% in what we have d year, compared to the same period in 2021.
Essex police say they are aware of the planned protest against rising fuel prices – Credit: Archant
PRA executive director Gordon Balmer described the number of burglaries as “going through the roof” with “10 incidents a day.”
There has also been an increase in verbal abuse against yard staff by drivers angry about the bomb prices.
Darren Briggs, CEO of Ascona Group, which owns 59 service stations across the UK, including one in Saxmundham, said: “We have had a huge increase in staff abuse at the yard level.
“We’re getting reports almost every week from customers who are quite abusive about what they’re seeing on the stick poster.”
He added: “It’s hard to explain to customers how the market works.”
Figures from the data firm Experian show that the average price of a liter of petrol in the courtyards of the United Kingdom reached a new high of 191.2 p on Tuesday.
The average price of diesel was 199.0 pence per liter, a fraction of a cent below the record 199.1 pence per liter set on Saturday.