Catalu?a was the area of Spain which was most affected on the first day of the lorry drivers strike action in protest at the high price of diesel yesterday.
Panic buying has left 40% of petrol stations in the region empty already as hundreds of lorry drivers blocked roads or drove at very reduced speed to bring traffic chaos and gridlock to some areas. In Madrid an estimated 15% of petrol stations have run dry as media reported hysteria and widespread panic buying of fuel.
Regional Catalan police, Los Mossos d?Esquadra, are today out protecting tanker drivers making fuel deliveries to petrol stations.
Some shopkeepers and petrol stations say they have built up their stocks fearing a prolonged demonstration.
The Minister for the Interior, Alfredo P?rez Rubalcaba, called for the public to keep calm, sating that there were no general supply problems for petrol or electricity. He said his ministry has put a special operation in place which would protect the rights of those on strike, but also ensure public order and movement.
Even so, there were long delays at times on access roads to Madrid on the M40, Barcelona on the Ronda del Litoral, Valencia at Ribarroja, Valladolid where markets were blocked and on the Carranza bridge into C?diz. The port of Bilbao has also been blocked.
A meeting between the National Federation of Transport Associations in Spain (FENADISMER) and the Government has ended without agreement, with the transport workers continuing to demand a minimum obligatory tariff. However sources at the Ministry for Development said that there had been ?important advances? made.
Fenadismer represents only 18% of the total number of lorry drivers and others, such as the larger Spanish Confederation of Merchandise Transporters, CETM, has not joined the strike. However, at the frontiers with France at Ir?n and La Jonquera, it was the action by pickets which drew attention, with lorry drivers who were working facing smashed windscreens and other attacks from the pickets.
Fenadismer says they will be continuing their strike action today having rejected a pre-agreement which was reached yesterday afternoon between the rest of the sector and their clients. Fenadismer President, Julio Villaescusa, said their main demand of a minimum tariff for transport service was still not being met.
Spanish Prime Minister, Jos? Luis Rodr?guez Zapatero, called on the strikers to return to work, saying the disruption was not the best way to find a solution to their problems.
Government representatives will restart talks on how lorry drivers can be compensated for the higher fuel prices later today, claiming that there is still ?margin for negotiation?.
The Director General for Road Transport, Juan Miguel S?nchez, has said that the Government will take more measures to face the crisis today, and said he was confident for an early resolution of the conflict.
Now Uk Lorry drivers will strike action this coming Friday in protest at the high price of diesel like all over EU States , Now Panic buying hitting all over the Uk
Reported by Tom Leonard Nanwich For FMPLUS UK News , with shell drivers going on Strike this Friday making fuel deliveries to petrol stations.
Prices have got to it hightest in Ireland with Diesel 1.72cent (this station in Dublin )but avg , Unleaded 124.9c Diesel 132.4c Katie Ryan Fmplus Ireland
Diesel is 1. 28Cent Monseratt Valencia
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