- Title: SPAIN: Spanish truck drivers 'fuel' strike affects deliveries
- Date: 10th June 2008
- Summary: MARKET SEAFOOD COUNTER SEAFOOD (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SEAFOOD SELLER MARI CARMEN SAYING: "Our stock is from Sunday, so of course the shop looks pretty empty"
- Embargoed: 25th June 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Transport,Energy
- Reuters ID: LVA9FAX113PVB2RSH5THT03VAVY8
- Story Text: Thousands of vehicles held up on Spanish motorways on second day of road transport strike as Spaniards fill their tanks at petrol stations and buy food in fear of shortages.
Thousands of vehicles were held up on Spanish motorways on Tuesday (June 10) on the second day of a road transport strike in protest at soaring fuel prices.
Truck drivers brought almost all roads leading to Madrid to a virtual standstill and the authorities opened toll booths to ease the traffic chaos.
Some Spaniards have been stockpiling fuel and food, fearing shortages in the coming days after truck drivers blocked deliveries across the country.
Cars queued at petrol stations as some reports said around 40 percent of premises had already run out of fuel.
"I've heard that all petrol stations are running out of fuel so I came to fill my tank because otherwise I'm afraid that I am not going to be able to work tomorrow," said Raul, a petrol station customer in Madrid.
Oil company Cepsa said 45 percent of its deliveries had not got through to stations because of picket lines at fuel depots, though Spain's biggest oil firm, Repsol, said supplies were getting through with "relative normality".
Distribution firm CLF said half of its normal deliveries were stopped at picket lines on Monday, but many oil companies had taken on extra supplies in previous days in anticipation of problems.
Market food stallholders said they were selling stocked products.
"Our stock is from Sunday so of course the shop looks pretty empty," said fish seller Mari Carmen.
Some costumers say that people's fear is baseless.
"I think it is a little bit alarmist. We have just been to the Corte Ingles (department store) and there was plenty of food and the same here. They are only short of fish. Shortages are starting anyway but I am not the kind of person who buys food to stock it," said Julia, a shopper in a local market in downtown Madrid.
Spanish and Portuguese truck drivers launched indefinite strikes on Monday (June 9), backed by protests across the border in France over the impact of high oil prices.
The price of diesel in Spain has risen to 1.30 euros/litre from 0.95 euros a year ago. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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