Truckers form fuel price protest convoy
More than 100 heavy trucks have formed a go slow convoy from the NSW Southern Highlands to Sydney on Wednesday, in a protest against high fuel prices.
Some 40 trucks met at Sutton Forest about 6am (AEST) for the two-hour trip north on the Hume Highway to Casula, Transport Workers Union (TWU) spokesman Joshua McIntosh said.
The number of participating trucks grew to "just over 100" during the trip, he said.
The trucks moved at about 60km/h in the left-hand lane of the Hume Highway under police escort and the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) reported no traffic flow problems.
Mr McIntosh said the aim of the convoy was to attract attention to the impact of the rising cost of fuel.
The union says drivers are having to absorb the spikes in fuel prices along with the cost of maintaining their vehicles.
Retailers increasing the cost of their goods blame the rising price of fuel, but those increases are not being passed onto drivers, it says.
Mr McIntosh said the feedback from drivers taking part in Wednesday's convoy was "positive".
"I know there's a lot of support coming from, especially, drivers travelling south, who can't be a part of the convoy," he told AAP.
"But this is what we want, to attract some attention, to let people know about the impact rising petrol prices is having on the transport industry."
It was the second such protest this month, after at least 60 trucks took part in a go slow convoy down the F3 to Sydney on July 1.
aap
23 July 2008
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