Fuel strike for Easter ruled out but panic continues

Motoring organisations said the news would come as a “great relief” to many families looking to get away over the Easter Break.

But many criticised the Government’s handling of the strike threat and said panic-buying remained widespread.

In Yorkshire, several petrol stations remained closed while others reported far higher demand than usual.

In discussions yesterday, Unite, which represents around 2,000 tanker drivers, said it wanted to focus on peace talks and ruled out a strike over the Easter period.

However, it said it retained the right to call industrial action if talks, expected to start next week, break down.

Officials from the union are calling for better safety standards, training, and rates of pay for drivers in the oil distribution industry.

They say they are trying to halt a “race to the bottom”.

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, speaking to Radio Leeds yesterday, accused Prime Minister David Cameron of deliberately creating panic over fuel to try to divert attention from unpopular Budget decisions and the scandal over donations to the Tories.

“I do think that political games were played,” he said. “I think the Prime Minister woke up on Monday morning and thought ‘I’ve got the worst weekend I’ve had in Government’, because of the Tory donation scandal after a Budget which had been judged by the country to be deeply unfair, and he thought ‘Why don’t I try to divert attention?’

“So suddenly, out of the blue, we had Government Ministers talking up a strike which wasn’t even called – there’s no date for this strike.

“It was a political invention, the panic of the last couple of days, and the nation and some people are paying a very, very heavy price for that.

He added: “I think it’s backfired because I think people have generally seen that these are schoolboy political games being played by people who should be doing responsible jobs.”

Meanwhile the Petrol Retailers Association said petrol sales had increased by more than 170 per cent on Thursday while sales of diesel were up by almost 80 per cent.

In Yorkshire, the Tesco garage in Skipton was among those that closed for much of the day yesterday. While the Tesco Express petrol station in Harrogate Road in Chapel Allerton, Leeds – which ran out of diesel and unleaded petrol on Thursday – reported many more customers than usual.

Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “Many people will have been filling up to be ready for the long journeys they are planning over the Easter break.

“This news will be a great relief to all those who thought their holidays were going to be severely disrupted.

“It should give everyone breathing space and ease the pressure at the pumps.

“If, after the fiasco of the past few days, Ministers still want to get involved in the dispute, there is plenty of time for them to help both sides reach a negotiated solution.”

Meanwhile Energy Secretary Ed Davey chaired a meeting in Whitehall yesterday with the haulage firms involved in the dispute as well as the defence and transport secretaries.

An Energy Department spokesman said: “It was a productive meeting. The seven haulage companies that are involved in the industrial dispute with Unite attended. Discussions focused on contingency planning, covering training more military drivers in the event a strike is called.

Unite and the distribution companies are also in contact with the conciliation service Acas, but no substantive talks will take place until next week.

Assistant general secretary Diana Holland said: “We will not be calling Easter strike action as we focus on substantive talks through Acas.

“We do still retain the right to call strike action for after the Easter, should those talks break down.

Comment: Page 16.