Outnumbered by police and journalists, angry hauliers and farmers gathered at oil refineries across Britain this morning, but failed to cause the disruption to fuel deliveries that led to the panic-buying of fuel across the country yesterday.
Petrol retailers expressed hope that the limited nature of the protest would bring to an end the rush on the pumps which caused around 3,000 service stations to run dry yesterday.
Despite the low turnout, protest organisers claimed success this morning, insisting that it was never their intention to blockade fuel tankers and interrupt petrol supplies.
Andrew Spence, of the People’s Fuel Lobby, joined around a dozen supporters at the Shell storage facility in Jarrow, south Tyneside, at 6am. As dawn broke, and tankers drove unhindered in and out of the complex, he said he had not planned a mass protest.
"We didn’t want a lot of people here, I would rather there was just a handful of us," he said, claiming that the increased media attention in recent days had done enough to highlight the recent increase in petrol prices.
"If we hadn’t basically said that we would be returning to the refineries, the media wouldn’t have highlighted the issue as it has done. I doubt that the Government would have given us the 1.2p freeze in duty proposed for October. I like to think that we have achieved something this week," Mr Spence told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Shell said it was "aware of a very small number of protesters" outside its facility but said that petrol deliveries were running according to schedule. "All our operations are running normally," a spokesperson said.
Asda, which operates around 140 service stations, said that sales had returned to normal levels this morning and that all its stations that suffered a rush on the pumps yesterday had been restocked.
"It's back to business as normal this morning," said a spokesman. "The protests were a bit of a damp squib and we hate to say we told you so, but we've told customers all week that there is plenty of fuel in the system and no reason to buy more than they need."
"Our advice to customers is that if you see a queue, don't feel the need to join it."
Chris Hunt, director general of the UK Petroleum Industry Association, also played down the importance of this morning's protests and the consternation they have caused in recent days.
"So far the protests are fairly low-key, and they are peaceful and there have been no attempts to block our tankers as they come out of terminals," Mr Hunt told the BBC. "The panic buying tends to be a blip. Once you’ve filled your tank you can’t fill it up again."
Ray Holloway, of the Petrol Retailers Association, said the poor attendance at the protests was predictable and hoped it would finally convince motorists to stop stockpiling fuel. Some garages took advantage of the panic-buying to raise prices to well over £1 a litre yesterday.
"We have had six days of fuel bought in just two. It is crazy," said Mr Holloway. "Motorists simply must accept that there is going to be no disruption to their petrol and diesel supplies."
A steady stream of tankers pulled in and out of refineries across the country, including the Kingsbury Oil Terminal, Britain's largest inland facility, in north Warwickshire. One truck did park outside the entrance, causing ripples of excitement among the gathered journalists, but it turned out to be a Hungarian lorry that had got lost.
There was no sign of protesters outside the Coryton refinery, Essex, although there were a handful of demonstrators gathered at a plant in Purfleet, about 15 miles away. Hauliers held placards saying "Support British Hauliers" and "End Labour’s War on the Motorist".
"It is disappointing," said James Hart, a lorry driver protesting at Purfleet. "I think the problem is people can’t afford to take time off work. I’m not sure what we’re going to do now."
Both the Texaco refinery in Pembroke and the Total refinery in Milford Haven, Wales, blockaded by protesters five years ago, were also quiet. At Fawley, in Hampshire, the few protesters who arrived at 6am left soon afterwards, embarrassed by the scant numbers.
The scenes were repeated at Shell's Stanlow refinery in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire and Avonmouth Docks near Bristol. In Scotland, police stood with protesters at BP's Grangemouth refinery and promised fuel deliveries would not be blocked.
Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, has resisted calls to reduce the tax on fuel and yesterday told TUC delegates in Brighton that an "international plan"was needed to encourage Open to invest and stabilise its supplies.
David Frost, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "There is not anything like the support that there was five years ago for the protesters. Then there was a feeling that it was the government ramping up these prices. Now there is an understanding that it is a worldwide issue."
