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If anybody believes this Government will take any notice of petitions they should try it. I have signed numerous petitions on the Number 10 website and the reply is always "No" with a subsequent load of garbage about what is best for us. The only thing that will ever influence this Socialist regime is public protest and disruption. The bunch of wimps that call themselves a Government will always back down in the face of disruption.

Of course we dont know whats best for us or we would not have voted in the bunch of un-reconstructed socialists in the Tory partys old clothes .
(I don't think any of the other non alternatives would be any better though)

As long as they don't start labelling people as "counter revolutionarys" we know were that leads, or is the phrase terrorist sympathisers more likely to be used so they can lock you up for six weeks without charge?

i agree with this ,if you need my help let me know.its all to expensive,cant keep up with it.

I fully support any protest that is about to happen, as a father of two on a pretty low income and have to travel 21 miles to work and the same home again these petrol prices are killing me !! I too have signed loads of on line petitions like gerald and with the same outcome, i would like to see some of the fat lazy government get by on a low income and still manage to keep their car on the road "legally" i am just managing it, and for those who think a car is a luxury mine is definetly not, as there are no public transport at 4:30 am for me to get to my work. I say good luck tomorrow and whatever else these protesters manage to pull off thank you.

I have just come back from Germany Petrol there is still cheaper than here and they dont pay Road Tax.

Lower the cost of fuel, increase road tax on gas guzzlers. A no brainer really. Those who choose to drive the latter will pay for the 'pleasure' of doing so whilst the rest of us won't be penalised for driving 'sensible' cars.

I fully support any action taken to protest against fuel prices. I am reasonably well off and have a diesel car but I do a fairly high necessary mileage a week and the prices are crippling me. It is becoming unsustainable and the massive percentage the government takes is totally inexcusable. they could lower duty substantially and still be making more money per litre than they were 2 years ago. Enough is enough!

In reply to the following comment posted -

Fuel costs less today in comparative terms thanin 1995, This is all about hauliers and farmers wanting to put up taxes for the rest of us.

Lets face it your furel costs are tax deductable and vat reclaimable, not so for jo public.

Stop protesting and smell the coffee!!!

Posted by Ken Gregory, 14th December 2007 5:14pm

I would reply, that fuel costs are rising, business cannot claim this cost back, we can claim the VAT yes, but we still have to cover the costs, this means that our customer pay for it in collection charges and parts/service prices have to go up to cover the costs. We are in a rural area, no buses pass our door and a car is a must, we reduced are vechicle fleet last year due to running costs.

Keep the protest going. Businesses and Jo Public should BOTH pay less for fuel.

I think we need to let the politicians know that 'enough is enough' and remind them that they are our servants and not our masters. I'm sick to the back teeth with the bleatings of the green lobby. Motoring causes so little in terms of overall pollution and it is being taxed disproportionately. Whatever action needs taking, let's do it.

Whilst our petrol is "only" the third highest in Europe, we have the highest priced derv... by a big margin.... and we're the only country in the EU that has derv that costs more than petrol.

Everything we use is delivered by derv vehicles... draw your own conclusions!

Where would the government get the shortfall from if they reduced the fuel tax? Answer: increase taxes on cigarettes and alcohol! (As you might realize, I don't smoke and rarely drink).

The first poster says a "Socialist" Government? - This government is so far removed from socialism it's a bad joke.

We are the highest charged country in the world for fuel (excepting Zimbabwe) - we have a government that profit gouges the public at every chance through every form of taxation.

We should protest and we should also start to look at getting some MP's elected into Westminster that will set a realistic fuel price - start going after the cosy MP's who are driven in Government cars and never have to pay to get to their work.

Do MP's claim expenses for travelling from their home to their local constituency office? Where are they based for their work?

The only changes we can drive are by going after the MP's seats, they are driven by self-interest and that is the only thing that motivates them.

National Stay @ Home day - no fuel, no travel, no work.

The Government expects apathy don't give in.

It does make you wonder how other Countries do it. They have more, they have cheaper fuel and no road tax in Germany. So why when we have such a high population can't we do this. Something is draining the reserves and they're not spending it on fixing the roads. I have to have a car to get to work and sometimes I think I would be better off leaving my job!!! Voting in someone else won't make any difference they seem to all be the same!!

Sadly this government needs to tax everything up to the hilt to pay for the generous welfare state they have created to try to woo over as many votes as possible from any quarter. How much per litre is going into these scemes ie the £200 (I believe) going into the banks of every child born? How much for the expectant mother to eat properly during her pregnancy (or spend on alcohol, cigarettes or drugs which ever she chooses) how much to ensure everyone who steps onto our shores gets a standard of living far far better than they had at home and better than some of our own pensioners, how much to encourage unmarried mothers to produce more children, the list goes on and on not even taking into consideration the massive bank breaking cost of this ILLEGAL war in Iraq. Just remember these facts at the next general election!

Stephen Joseph with his Campaign for Better Transport is talking out of his posterior if he thinks that lowering tax isn't the answer and high taxes will get people out of their cars. On planet Earth, particularly this lawless corner of it, the idea of using the inadequate public transport system with the aggressive and bad mannered other passengers does not appeal at all. I like the freedom to go where I want, when I want, without having to wait at a vandalised bus stop in the cold and dark, feeling vulnerable if strange blokes are about. Women just don't feel safe on public transport and the sooner these do gooders realise that the better. Provide safe, clean, frequent transport in a law abiding country then you will get people using public transport. I had to use it for the first 20 or so years of my life, and frankly I don't want to go back there just to please the idiots who have fallen for the global warming scam. Stop the Chinese building so many power stations first and then start worrying about what comes out of the rear of our cars. And let's vote this shower out of government the next chance we get. Who would have thought they could have conned so many intelligent people for so long?

I AM SORRY TO SAY THAT THIS COUNTRY IS JUST ABOUT TAX. ITS ABOUT TIME WE STARTED TO TAKE NOTICE OF WHATS GOING ON AROUND US. £1.03 A LITRE THATS $2.10 ADD ANOTHER 35P AND THATS WHAT USA PAY FOR A GALLON ITS BLOODY CRAZY. THE GOVERNMENT REALLY WILL BE IN TROUBLE IF WE ALL TURNED TO GREENER ALTERNATIVES FOR TRAVEL, WHERE WILL ALL THEIR REVENUE COME FROM THEN. ALL OUR TAXES WILL GO UP SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THEY HAVE TO GET THE MONEY FROM SOMEWHERE SO ITS EASY TO BLAME THE MOTORIST. WITH THE DEATH OF THE LOCAL SHOP KEEPER, HOW ELSE DO YOU SURVIVE WITHOUT THE USE OF A CAR TO GO TO THE SUPERSTORES. EVERYBODY NEEDS A CAR AND THE GOVERNMENT KNOW IT. WHETHER YOU SPEND TEN POUNDS OR FIFTY POUNDS A WEEK ITS STILL FAR TOO MUCH TAX TO PAY. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Well said Peter of Surrey,couldnt agree more.

Please tell me why us brits are like sheep, any other country would have blockades and mass protest.
This govt know this thats why they can do what they want.WAKE up Britain
its time for a revolution.

The sky high price of petrol in the UK is not because of high oil prices, if it were, why is petrol $3 a gallon in the US, we are paying $10 a gallon in the UK.

As for the green argument, I will consider green alternatives as they arise, currently I see no alternative other than in big cities, to the car. Buses and trains are not a viable alternative, not everyone wants to travel into or out of London and those who do have to stand up. Give us wide seats, more legroom, and buses and trains that go where I want to go, at times I want to go, at a sensible price and I will be on them.

As others have said: this lying, scheming government, that has had the most devious and under-handed chancellor imagineable - now prime minister of course - has reneged on every single one of its 1997 election manifesto promises. My small business is drowning under red-tape (IR35, S660, MSC, MSP etc... all new from them) and I am personally taxed to the hilt, not openly of course, but by stealth.

Remember when Brown, as chancellor, promised not to increase income tax... but then immediately put national insurance up instead? That 1% comes from your pay-packet in *exactly* the same way. And they have racked up employer's national insurance too, by several percent, which as an employee you don't see but it's why your employer can't afford to give you a pay rise... the government stole it from you! And then we're stealth taxed to the hilt through fuel duty etc, ever rising, and then VAT on top of that!

And for what? So that they can put it into their coffers now, ready for spending on generous schemes in one or two years time... just before the next election in the hope of buying themselves more votes, using our money!

This government - and the current prime minister in particular - is an utter disgrace; they deserve to be brought down. Sadly I can't see these protests achieving that, no matter how well managed they are, but they may at least give the government a bruise or two and show them that we've had enough of being bullied and robbed blind, just to bolster their coffers to introduce schemes to try and buy themselves yet another term in office, to push this country still further into the dark ages.

Yes, I support the protests!

If those organising the protests also organised long-term car sharing schemes, perhaps through liftshare.com, then people would make their journeys, public transport gets shamed, the government loses fuel taxes (only works if over the long term).

Then after a few months, people decide to share a car (and save money) or go back to paying what by then will be lower fuel costs and raised car taxes to compensate.

The thing is most British are too comfortable in their cars for their own good.

If we had a long term plan for anything in this country then people would be behind the government. However we vote for a party, they say one thing and do another. For example, war in Iraq, war in Afghanistan, raise taxes to improve hospitals - no change, but still keep the tax. Sell off school playgrounds, now spend a billion to update what is left. If the fuel tax actually improved roads, transport and the whole infrastructure then fine.
The reality is it just props up inefficient finances and policies by Uncle Gordon.
Goods will go up in price yet we will be informed that inflation is only 2%.
I support the fuel protest.

Two points.

1 Does anybody really expect the Government to say "We are wrong. There is too much tax on petrol. We are going to reduce it" ? If so, wake up !!

2 What if your car ran on tea ! A cup of tea in a cafe costs approx 50p. That is for about one-third of a pint. So for a pint of tea it would cost £1.50. 8 pints = 1 gallon = £12. Aren't you glad your car doesn't run on tea!!

BTW I do wish the price would come down, but I have serious doubts that it will unless the price of oil drops considerably (then the Government would add more taxes !).

Re the comment about what to replace any reduction in tax with....the government, as far as we are led to believe, had no idea when churning out the budget what price fuel was going to be, unless they had a crystal ball, so how can you miss what you didn't plan on having? Scrap the road fund licence, tax the fuel only so that those who use the roads pay for them, and can't dodge paying as they can with the road fund licence. To tax at the rate we are is nothing short of theft by this greedy government who give back nothing in return. The roads are shoddy, the infrastructure lacking..so what ARE they spending the revenue on?

David Begley, couldn't the direct action you refer to, be to move nearer to your workplace, instead of encouraging disruption of our day to day lives?

I prefer the method of not buying petrol from the major oil producers like BP. By boycotting this petrol producer and buying from supermarkets and the cheaper stations, BP would have no option but to drop their prices which would make the others do the same.
Worth a try?

I have recently spent three weeks in France, and was amassed after 1,875 miles the saving on diesel compared to the U.K . Our government knows the motorist is an easy target to tax incurring inflated prices
on all transported goods. CUT THE TAX :- CUT INFLATION:- AND BRING ALL RETAIL GOODS DOWN

How about global warming, shouldn't we be worrying about the future we are creating for our children and future generations, get on your bike or find a job nearer home, oil is to valuable a commodity to waste it on unecessary jouneys and overheating out homes.

Get real Mervyn everyone does not live in these communities where the work is round the corner and easily available this is the real world and people will always have to travel to get to work because they cannot affoard to buy a house near the employment as jobs in an area mean high house prices

Do you really think Brown will take any notice, not a chance he is so wrapped up in his ivory tower. He actually believes the public transport system is sufficient for us to all get around on...the mumpty. No doubt he won't even make comment about it, he's so invisible when the spin goes against him.

All it will do is create problems on the roads leading up to Christmas.

The favourite ploy for anyone remotely keen to see motorists taxed off the roads or attempting to justify the greedily high tax levels is the sneering comment about 'gas guzzlers". The reality is that most tax on fuel is paid by the transport industry, small business owners and employees who can't trade or get to work without using a car, familiies who can barely afford the small often older car which provides them the ability for leisure trips at the weekend. The majority of these pundits with their chaufer driven vehicles at beck and call or an agreed vehicle/fuel/mileage allowance are never exposed to the chill economics of trying to provide some sort of transport for their family. These people urgently need a reality check before continuing to expound on matters they in reality know very little about. As for the folk from organisations like "Transport for Rural Britian" or other such fancy quangoes - how they have the cheek to draw their inflated remunerations I have no idea, they must qualify as the most useless shower of hangers on in history.

The fact that single figure percentages of collected road tax is actually spent on maintaining the roads is a damnation on the government.
The continued lack of expenditure on both road maintenance (not new road schemes) and on public transport - with continued extortionate prices for said public transport is a national scandal.
That the government want to continue to raise revenues by hitting the easy target of the law abiding motorists is nothing short of scandalous.
That fact that more than 70% of motorists need to use their cars to get to work (as aforementioned "Public Transport" is ineffective) only goes to show that this government is not serious about either improving public transport to that required to keep the country running, nor to develop systems and policies to encourage less travel to get people into work locations. As such it cannot be serious about being "green" and desiring to reduce the carbon emissions for the UK..
Hot air and lies is what they are feeding us.
Lies, damn lies and distorted statistics..

When i was in America a few months back they were paying for a gallon what we pay for a litre and they drive the gas guzzlers.. Britain is a tiny country compared to USA,China, Russia and all the rest, so why should a tiny country like ours be hit harder than those doing most damage to the atmosphere. They talk about gas guzzlers here when every second car in USA is one.

Forget it. You can't fight City Hall.

What exactly is the problem? It's fuel resellers that are suddenly very slow to adjust prices now that they have breached the 100p mark. It's easy money for them and nobody notices one pence difference, right?

So, what has the government got to do with that? There's always been tax on fuel, right? What exactly is so different now? Have you ever considered how cheap a country like England is for car drivers? Go compare road tax plus petrol prices on the continent. Cheaper? I think not.

Let's put it plain: if you drive your gas-guzzler 4x4, and you are shouting about 'the government' having to lower taxes to allow you to do so, that's saying that everybody else should be paying your bill. I myself, I would rather not pay your bill indeed.

I hope people think twice before committing themselves to this silly protest. If they want to pay other people's bills, why, let them hand out the money in person - much quicker.

Now here's another proposal. Let us protest for more road and fuel-linked tax, but couple this income to proper spending on road maintenance, road renewal, and parking spaces. Tax cuts for small, emission-efficient cars.

Now there's a cause....discuss.

lets not take it anymore tax tax tax work work work enjoyment on your day off no no no i love driving i also love taking my kids out i work hard lets bring this country to its knees one voice for the thief gordon brown the unelected pm on your bike lets blockade every refinery in the uk never mind special privilages for those in certain occupations one out all out enough is enough lets do what the french do not keen on the frogs but when they blockade they hit hard and effectivley come on bring on the the british bulldog spirit lets show what were made of!!

so you think the crisis hitting this planet is all down to the people of this country eudemus [ post 56 ] we constitute less than 2% of greenhouse gasses at most all the other come from the bull s*** spouted by tree huggers and MPs - if the likes of china were to cut emmisions by two thirds and america the same then we might be interested in trying but as they have no intentions why should we - do you honestly think that if we all got on push bikes and scrapped our cars this shambles of money grabbing own pocket lining liars wouldnt tax the fresh air we would be breathing - i did my bit by buying a car with lpg and guess what your friend gordon has increased the price by 1/3 in the last few months alone - if we stopped handing money to every tom d and harry coming into this country and scrounging we might be able to bring petrol down to what it should be - JUST TO ADD INSULT THE NAME BEGINNING WITH D IS NOT ALLOWED ON THIS BLOG APPARANTLY LOL

The rest of Europe is cheaper than us and they dont pay road tax as it's tagged on and included in the price they pay for there fuel so if we pay the current going rate then why cant the GOV scrap the road tax?????
So what you use is what you pay for. need i say any more!!!!