Easter fuel threat as drivers vote on strike

Millions of Easter motorists could face massive fuel disruption if tanker drivers vote to strike today.

The Unite union is due to announce the result of an industrial action ballot among more than 2,000 drivers, who supply 90 per cent of forecourts.

Any action is likely to include the Grangemouth refinery and fuel depots in Aberdeen, Clydebank, Livingston and Inverness. Airport deliveries would also be affected.

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Walk-outs could start as early as next Monday, after the required week’s notice – just days before the Easter weekend, when millions of extra cars are expected to take to the roads.

The UK government has already put the army on standby to make deliveries if action goes ahead. Scottish ministers said yesterday they were also preparing contingency plans.

Union sources, who are expecting a Yes vote for strikes, said drivers had been “hugely frustrated for quite some time”.

However, Unite said the dispute was over safety, training and conditions rather than pay.

It involves seven firms who distribute fuel for BP, Esso and Shell, and the supermarkets – Wincanton, DHL, Hoyer, BP, JW Suckling, Norbert Dentressangle and Turners.

The potential disruption comes as fuel prices have reached new records, with petrol now averaging 140.2p a litre and diesel 146.72p.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Ministers are aware of this dispute. They are monitoring the situation and have been in touch with the industry and UK ministers.

“This is a trade dispute between the tanker drivers and their employers. The Scottish Government encourages both sides to negotiate to resolve the issues in dispute to ensure disruption to the Scottish people is avoided.

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“The Scottish Government and its agencies meet on a regular basis, to plan and prepare for a range of situations. We continue to be in regular contact with industry and agency partners to assess developments and progress contingency plans.”

The UK government said it was “well prepared” for strikes and had improved co-ordination since the fuel dispute in 2000, which caused widespread disruption.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said: “We are calling on the trade union Unite and the employers involved to work together to reach an agreement that will avert industrial action.

“Widespread strike action affecting fuel supply at our supermarkets, garages and airports could cause disruption across the country.

“The general public should not and must not suffer from this dispute, and strike action is manifestly not the answer.

“Although we are pushing for an agreement, we have learnt the lessons of the past and stand ready to act to minimise disruption to motorists, to industry and, in particular, to our emergency services, in the event of a strike.”

The Cabinet Office said emergency powers could be deployed, some of them under laws passed since the 2000 dispute.

Unite said there had been “unrelenting attacks” on drivers’ terms and conditions, adding that it had been trying to establish a forum to agree industry-wide best practice on issues such as safety and training.