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The government has further angered protesters this week with its rejection of an e-petition, which collected 831 signatures, calling for more help for the haulage industry.

The e-petition was set up by pressure group TransAction back in May and called for three measures to "give support and offer protection  to the haulage industry from high and rising fuel prices". These were:

• Withdraw the 2p/litre rise scheduled for October 2008
• Decouple the transport industry's fuel duty from that of domestic car users
• Implement an essential user rebate for the industry.

The government's response adds: "The Haulage Industry Task Group looked at the overall operating costs faced by UK and EU hauliers, and found that within cost differentials, the fuel tax differential is in many cases offset by lower labour taxes and other employer costs in the UK."