Today’s protest and go-slow at Stanlow fuel refinery was billed as the “mother of all fuel protests” (well by this site anyway). Estimates of up to 3000 people had been suggested causing traffic chaos on the roads.

In reality the turn out has been much less than many expected. Our sources put numbers in the low hundreds as many chose to stay away from today’s action.

Further problems came as police at Stanlow fuel refinery blockaded the protesters leaving them unable to access the site, with small scuffles breaking out between protesters and police.

Despite this, interest in the protest has been huge. Vast numbers of visitors have been flooding to the site keen for updates. Media coverage at the event itself was substantial with the national and local press in attendance.

The organisers recently confirmed that a small band of around 40 “hardcore” protesters still remain at Stanlow, claiming that tanker movements have been stopped for the past hour.

Personally I am quite taken back by the lack of support this protest has seen, I had expected huge number of protesters “give it to the man”. However, the media storm that surrounded today’s protest was enough to highlight the anguish motorists and businesses are faced with as we try and cope with record fuel prices.

[ad]