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A Norfolk paving haulier who organised a go-slow on the A47 last week has enlisted the help of a lawyer to investigate the legality of the government's fuel tax regime. Gary Cooper says he believes there is an unfair competition issue with UK hauliers being forced to pay much higher prices for their fuel than foreign operators carrying out the same work in this country.

The move comes days after Cooper protested rocketing fuel prices with a go-slow convoy in Norfolk. He claims media reports  that there were only a few vehicles involved are "100% inaccurate" and believes there were between 80 and 100 lorries causing tailbacks of up to seven miles. He is organising another protest on the busy A-road at the end of June and says he will probably join with lobby group Transaction 2007 for their planned protest at the end of this month.

"Every day fuel is going up and up and up," he explains. "It beggars belief how are we supposed to pass those prices on? Everyone is moaning about it, everyone is unhappy about it, but no one seems to be doing anything about it. I just thought if the little man does something and starts to fight back maybe we can start making progress." Cooper adds: "We are paying high duties which foreign drivers coming here do not have to pay. There's an issue there." Peter Hastings, commercial lawyer at Norwich-based Steeles Law Solicitors, confirms he is considering the legal issues. He adds: "My consideration is at a very early stage and I wish to  work on this during the next few days."

However, Peter Cullum, head of international affairs at the Road Haulage Association, says each member state is allowed to levy its own taxation: "The legality of the government putting higher taxes on is not an issue we've looked at. We don't think it is one to be addressed. "The EU, in terms of fuel duty, has recommended a range of prices which will alter over time. Ours just so happens to be at the higher end of the range. We have always assumed [the government] can impose higher fuel tax. We have been protesting the rate at which it does it."