Warnings of more go-slow protests across the UK

In early July, thousands of motorists took to the roads in slow moving convoys to protest of the rising fuel prices that have struck the UK in recent months. It’s been called the ‘go slow’ movement, and there have already been warnings that similar protests might be on the way.

The ‘rolling roadblocks’ generally travelled at speeds of around 30mph, and while many are satisfied that it achieved its initial aim of drawing attention to the movement, the government isn’t happy. A Number 10 spokesman said that while they respected the right to protest, “people’s day to day lives shouldn’t be disrupted.” Home Secretary Priti Patel went one step further by urging police to arrest the go-slow protesters for “wilful obstruction of a highway”.

That’s not deterred many of the protestors, some of whom have warned that unless they feel the government takes appropriate action, there could be still more to come.

Here at Van Discount, we’re committed to keeping you up to date with the very latest news regarding the motoring industry, almost as much as we’re committed to providing you with the very best new van deals. With that in mind, here’s the latest on ‘go-slow’ protests, and how they might affect the movement of your fleet.

Who are the ‘go-slow’ protestors?

The initial protests took place on the 4th of July – they’d been organised via social media, through a Facebook group called Fuel Price Stand Against Tax. The group was made up of more than 50,000 members.

As you can imagine, it’s a very diverse group of people, and they all share a singular concern – skyrocketing fuel prices. Petrol hit a new high of 191.5p per litre on the 3rd of July, while the average price of diesel was 199p per litre. One of the group members, who is the head of a property maintenance company, told the press that rising fuel prices were a national problem, particularly for small businesses, while another informed the media that his business had added £4,000 to its fuel bill in the months leading up to the protest.

What is the ‘go-slow’ movement asking for?

Protestors feel that pump prices have remained unjustly high, and they don’t feel that the government is doing enough about it. Chiefly, they want the government to enact an immediate cut in fuel duty, to help lighten the burden of fuel costs on businesses and commuters. Calls to narrow the gap between wholesale petrol costs and pump prices have been echoed by the FairFuelUK Campaign, which fights “for fairer fuel taxation”.

Right now, there are no signs that the government plans to do any such thing. And now, worried MPs within the House of Commons are warning that this initial protest could be a precursor to even more protests that are going to spread around the UK.

What’s next for the movement?

The protestors plans are still evolving, but right now the bank holiday weekend at the end of August looking like another probable date for a large-scale protest. It’s likely to be largely concentrated in London, but we could see other protests spring up in other major cities like Birmingham, Leeds or Manchester, and protestors try and force the government’s hand. One protester stated that “July was just a warning of what is going to come… I don’t want to give too much away until the plans are finalised.”

If you’re worried about potentially getting caught up in any future disruption, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the headlines for the time being. If you really want to keep up to speed on the day-to-day, you could even take a look at the Facebook group itself, where members are still forming their plans. Ultimately, we’ll leave your approach up to you!

As for us, here at Van Discount, we’ll keep doing what we do best – saving our buyers an average of 40% off the recommended retail price of a new van (which often equates to thousands of pounds)! So, if you’ve got any more specific questions or you need any advice, feel free to ask our experts. We’ve got decades of experience behind us, making us the perfect people to tell you anything you need to know about the best van deals. Feel free to get in touch with us directly by calling 01282 872 530. Our team will be more than happy to answer your questions!