A FUEL protester is looking to take his campaign to a national stage as he pleads for prices to fall.
Ian Charlesworth, of Hawarden, has spent the last two years fighting against increasing fuel costs, holding Go-Slow protests from Stanlow into North Wales.
He has now set his sights on staging a national protest to stress to the Government the difficulties being caused to millions of people and calling for duty and fuel tax to be lowered.
Although details of the planned protest are yet to be finalised, Mr Charlesworth is looking into organising a Go-Slow protest through Britain and led by the Stanlow Fuel Protest and Direct Action Group.
He said: “This will be a proper, organised event that is above board.
“We need as many people as possible to join us and play their part.
“We have got to stand up on this. If we don’t do so then this will go on and on.”
His breaking point came on Wednesday when The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) revealed it would not be conducting a full investigation into the fuel market.
It said competition in the sector was “working well” and there was “very limited evidence” that pump prices rise quickly when the wholesale price goes up but fall more slowly when it drops.
Mr Charlesworth said: “It is absolutely unbelievable for them to say there is no problem with the price of fuel. It is a total whitewash.
“We have got to get the message across about how unhappy we are. It is making people very angry.
“The contempt this Government has treated everybody with is unbelievable. It is making people realise what we have been saying for the past two to three years is now coming home to roost.”
Clive Maxwell, chief executive of the Office for Fair Trading, said: “We recognise there has been widespread mistrust in how this market is operating. However, our analysis suggests competition is working well and rises in pump prices over the past decade or so have largely been down to increases in tax and the cost of crude oil.
“Our call for information has not identified any evidence of anti-competitive behaviour in the fuel market at a national level, where competition appears to be strong. There may be some issues at a local level.
“Where we receive evidence of potential anti-competitive behaviour we will consider taking action. For example, we have recently opened an investigation into the supply of road fuel in the Western Isles of Scotland.”
For details on the planned protest visit the Stanlow Fuel Protest and Direct Action Group page on Facebook.