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The founder of campaign group Transaction 2007, which is being boosted by support from the Unite union, has spoken to CM of national fuel protests in the "very near future". Mike Presneill says a protest over high fuel prices in Wales last Friday among a handful of hauliers did not get off the ground, but adds that he is in discussions to organise national "legal demonstrations" in order  to publicise the financial difficulties many operators are facing. And he claims to have the support of more than 2,500 hauliers.

Two recent meetings with Unite's national secretary for road transport, Ron Webb, have bolstered Transaction 2007's plans to launch protests against the spiralling cost of diesel. Webb says: "Not only will small companies go bust but larger companies are informing us across the bargaining table that unless they see a change soon it will mean lower wages for employees.

"Unite simply will not allow our members' wages to be cut without a robust response. Therefore on this occasion we will be supporting the industry within this matter."

Presneill will not confirm when the protests will occur, but says: "We have another meeting with [Unite] very shortly in the next week, to discuss the worsening crisis. Our stance has always been legal protests to bring it all to the media's eye. "We are being asked from around the country to put together legal  demonstrations against this level of fuel duty. In the very near future there could be protest action. There are representatives of Transaction in most of the regions around the country."