Hundreds of hauliers demonstrated in London last Wednesday (2 July) against rising fuel prices.
Trucks had initially gathered at London Gateway Services on the M1 and Medway Services on the M2 in Kent before marshalling on the M40 Westway. They then headed into the centre of the capital.
By 1.30pm, about 230 lorries from around the UK had arrived in London for the protest, and part of the A40 was closed.
About 200 haulage company bosses from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland turned up opposite the House of Commons. They carried placards asking the government for a fair deal on fuel, and many later went into the Parliament building to discuss the crisis individually with their MPs.
Martin Brown, managing director of Charles Brown & Son, based in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, said: "The current situation is disastrous. My firm has been running for nearly 50 years, but we've never known it as bad as this. The situation with the fuel duty is crippling us we've had to cut our fleet from 25 down to 16."
Anne Preston, director of Yorkshire firm Prestons of Potto, added: "I don't know why the UK treats the road haulage industry so unfairly. We need help like the airlines and railways get."
Peter Harding, owner of Peter Harding Freight International, said that without a level playing field on fuel it was almost impossible for UK hauliers to compete, adding: "I'm losing business to Estonian operators working in the UK. The government needs to do something."
Harry Breakwell, senior manager at Kidderminster-based Breakwells, claimed the situation was so bad it is now virtually impossible to pass fuel price rises on to customers. "It's vitally important that the government doesn't raise fuel duty any further," he warned.
Ian Jarman, environmental and legislation manager at south Wales haulier Owens Logistics, agreed: "The current situation is critical. The industry has had enough. It's good to see so many people from around the country support the protest today, it shows the depth of feeling in the industry"
Jim Dodd, managing director of Dodds Transport, added: "I'm very happy to see the RHA, TransAction and the transport industry coming together and speaking for the industry with one voice. We need to present a united front when we are dealing with the government because that is the only way we will be seen as a strong force."
Industry leaders delivered speeches outside Parliament highlighting the current plight facing road transport companies.
Roger King, Road Haulage Association chief executive, said: "We're here to underline the real difficulties and challenges the road haulage sector in this country is suffering from.
"The magnitude of the fuel bill is well known, but the government doesn't seem to want to address the problem." King called for an inquiry into why diesel prices are "so much higher" than petrol.
He added: "Ultimately, the answer has to come through the EU and duty has got to be fair around Europe. We want to see a common rate of duty across Europe."
Peter Carroll, owner of Seymour Transport and spokesman for the lobby group TransAction, said the government could not argue that high fuel duty made environmental sense.
He added: "What possible benefit will there be to the environment if foreign competition comes in and takes all the business from UK firms it is not about the environment, it is about business, fairness, and competition. It breaks my heart when I meet people who have had to remortgage their homes and who now face commercial slaughter on a massive scale."
Carroll claimed the fuel protests needed "one campaign, one voice and one message". He said: "I have to confess my head has nearly exploded with frustration that we have not come together as a united force until today."
On the same day as the protests, the Scottish National Party (SNP) amendment to the Finance Bill – which would have allowed for the introduction of a fuel duty regulator – was defeated in a House of Commons vote.
SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie, who led the debate, said there was a "duty and obligation" for the government to put something back after taking so much out.
"If they don't, many companies in this lobby won't be here in the autumn," he added.