Dan Strong's column

It's gridlock! Lorry drivers are on the warpath again, as high fuel prices have forced the hard-pressed hauliers back on to the roads to join go-slow protests designed to bring Britain to a halt... Problem is, I get the sense that this time round no one is listening. Think about it: the movement has somewhat shot itself in the foot. Memorably, in the year 2000, HGVs hit the road in protest at rocketing fuel prices. Diesel was 80p a litre, oil $30 a barrel and huge queues developed at fuel stations as motorists rushed to fill up their tanks. Elsewhere, supermarket shelves were cleared as terrified townsfolk stockpiled tins of beans!

Rightly, the UK’s transport industry was touted as the lifeblood that kept the heart of Britain beating... As it was cut off, the nation ground to a halt. So why is it so different this time around? Actually, it’s not. There were protests from hauliers in 2005 and 2007 as well. While the move led to a minor repeat of the scenes of five years earlier in 2005, the outing of 2007 barely raised an eyebrow.

The effects of 2008’s stand-off, which saw a few hundred HGVs hit London last week, are still being digested. But so far we have seen little to suggest that the move will bring anything like the kind of results being chased. At the heart of everything is the fact that this time around, as in 2005 or 2007, fuel refineries were not blockaded as they were in 2000. There has also been the accusation that in 2000, the real driving force behind the success of the protest was the fuel companies themselves. Despite blockades, it was reported that police had kept roads clear at refineries – yet something was keeping tankers in the depots...

Maybe it was a sense of loyalty to the closest thing lorry drivers have to a union, the Road Hauliers Association. Maybe it was a hope that the move would bring meaningful and lasting change to the price of fuel. According to the history books, the RHA was looking for a cut in fuel prices of around 24p. What the past eight years have proved, however, is that the whole incident was entirely unsuccessful – with diesel now costing £1.30p a litre. So, if the dramatic events of 2000 were unable to bring success, what hope that this time around there will be some chance for negotiation?

Ironically, the chances now are probably better than they have ever been. In light of Gordon Brown’s dismal performance in the polls in recent months, this could offer an opportunity for our PM to score some much needed popularity points. But before we all race to fill a celebratory cup with fossil fuel, it’s time to look at the history books once again.

With the price of oil now a staggering $130 a barrel (and some commentators claiming that figure will climb to $200 by year’s end), it’s unlikely any short-term gains will prove sustainable. On top of which, the Government is unlikely to want to be seen to cave into demands in reducing a levy on something which ultimately it is not in true control of – namely the cost of crude oil. So, if this year is anything to go by, even a 15p reduction in the price of fuel could provide relief that lasts mere months. By September, the lorries will be on the road again, emboldened by a recent win.

But would that really be such a bad thing? The fact is that as motorists we really shouldn’t show the indifference that seems to greet the lorries on their trips across the country. It’s no secret that the price of fuel affects us all, so it’s worth remembering that we are all on the road together. If we really want to drive down the fast-accelerating cost of motoring, it’s time to put on a united front – and not leave it to a few hard-pressed few to do the campaigning for us.