Downing Street condemned the guerrilla tactics of protesters blocking fuel distribution terminals. As reports of shortages at petrol stations forecourts spread, figures showed a drop in fuel deliveries.
Since the start of the month supporters of the Just Stop Oil campaign have taken action against 11 different fuel terminals across England. They blocked access and trespassed on sites to stop fuel tankers entering, filling up, or leaving to deliver oil.
Retailers of petrol claim that protests have not had a significant impact on their deliveries. There have been many reports of petrol pumps being shut down in the localities. Priti Patel (the home secretary) said that there were people all across the country. [were]Their lives were disrupted by the campaign, which caused them to lose theirs.
Protesters have pledged to continue their actions until the government bans all new fossil fuel projects. Monday afternoon was their 11th day of protest. Several were chained to the pipework at Inter Terminal, Grays, Essex. This terminal is the third largest in the country.
We did this because our government is refusing action on the climate crisis. We need a meaningful statement that will have no new fossil-fuel projects. This was stated by an activist, who gave his full name as Nathan, in a video that was filmed from the top of the loading bay at the terminal. It was published on Twitter.
A spokesperson for No 10 said that while we recognize the power of feelings and the right to protest are fundamental to democracy, she would not tolerate guerrilla tactics that hinder people going about their daily business.
She said: We fully support police who are putting considerable resource into their response.
Labour demanded injunctions against the protests. Shadow justice secretary for Labour, Steve Reed : Ministers from the Tory party need to continue their work. Motorists were already suffering from high prices at the pump. Now millions cannot even access fuel. This is all happening under the government’s watch. They need to get it sorted.
In order to obtain any injunctions, the fuel terminal operators would have to obtain them rather than the government.
One interim injunction was issued, prohibiting protests at the Kingsbury oil terminal in Midlands. A return hearing took place at the high court on Monday.
According to Shoosmiths corporate lawyers, the decision by Valero Energy on the injunction against unknown persons was reserved. This means that it will be made later.
Retailers claimed that protests were not having a significant impact. Sainsburys stated that it was monitoring the situation but that all its petrol stations continue to receive deliveries.
Morrisons supported the comments of Andrew Opie, British Retail Consortium director of food and sustainability. Opie stated: Retailers are adept in dealing with disruption and will make every effort to ensure that their customers can continue to use their vehicles as normal.
A spokesperson for UK Petroleum Industry Association minimized the impact of protests.
He stated that fuels are being delivered as usual, and that stocks are being replenished. Although some deliveries are being affected by the ongoing protest activity, disruptions are limited and temporary. The industry is working hard for fuel delivery as quickly as possible.
Local news reports continued indicating that there were shortages in several parts of the country. Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, LincolnshireAnd Staffordshire, among others. Just two days after activists began to take action, the first shortages in Kent and Warwickshire were reported.
Fair Fuels UK (which promotes cheaper petrol) claimed on Twitter that it had credible intelligence that one of three pumps was running dry. Rapidly reversedAfter a call from government
Tom Hunt, Ipswich’s MP, stated Monday that he had visited six stations before being able to refill his car. According to the Ipswich Star, the situation in Ipswich is slightly better than in rural Suffolk. I was driving through it this morning.
This is due to the selfish behavior of activists associated with Extinction Rebellion or Just Stop Oil, who have been holding up fuel supplies as well as blocking key depots in the region.
He said that activists should not be allowed do this and get away with it. Although I am aware that some have been arrested, I believe they should be immediately taken into custody and severely punished for the disruption they are causing.
Data from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, spanning the first few days, revealed that petrol station deliveries started to fall as protests took place, while forecourt reserve seems to be decreasing.
The average daily delivery of fuel was 33,766 litres per station in the three days following the protests. This is a significant drop from the 43,243 week prior.
The drop in deliveries was more severe in areas served by terminals that were targeted and shut down by protesters. Deliveries dropped 43% in the West Midlands and 44% in London, respectively, and 48% in East.
Fuel stock levels in affected areas have decreased, with London seeing a particularly severe drop in fuel stock. London’s average forecourt was 28% full as of 3 April, compared to 40% before the protests began.
This week will see the publication of new figures that will show any effect after 3 April.
Coordinators of Just Stop Oils claimed that they had made 880 arrests as of Sunday evening. They stated that approximately 400 people had participated in the campaign so far. New recruits continued to join. They pledged to continue their campaign.
