Secret plan to ration fuel on the forecourt
Ministers draw up crisis strategy to combat petrol protests as prices soar
By Francis Elliott, Deputy Political Editor
Published: 11 September 2005
Motorists face rationing at petrol stations under emergency plans that are being drawn up by ministers to combat this week's fuel protests, The Independent on Sunday has learnt.
Ministers met secretly last week to finalise the Government's response to blockades of Britain's refineries threatened for Wednesday.
<snip>
Planned measures to combat a successful blockade include rationing of supplies, limiting the hours during which petrol can be sold and reserving some filling stations for "priority users". Leading hauliers were called in for a meeting with Department of Trade and Industry officials last week, at which they were warned that police have new powers to remove blockades.
<snip>
Disquiet about rising fuel costs is set to deepen over the coming days as more energy suppliers introduce sharp price hikes. British Gas led the way last week when it increased prices by an astonishing 14.2 per cent.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article311812.ece