- Title: FRANCE: MOTORISTS QUEUE FOR PETROL IN ANTICIPATION OF HAULIERS BLOCKADE.
- Date: 4th September 2000
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE( SEPTEMBER 3, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/MV/CU: CARS QUEUING UP AT PETROL STATION/ MOTORIST PUTTING PETROL IN HIS CAR/ PETROL PUMP (3 SHOTS) 0.15 2. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) UNIDENTIFIED MOTORIST SAYING: "I think there may be a blockade for 2 or 3 days so until they reach an agreement we need to get a little bit of petrol, yes. (journalist asks: have you tried other petrol stations?) oh yes. I flew off to 3 or 4 petrol stations and the cars flew away.(journalists asks: what do you mean?) Well the cars leave immediately without petrol.. its the flight of petrol! (journalist asks: is there no more petrol?) yes, the petrol stations are empty. Its the second station I have come to and the other one was empty and I could not put any petrol after a quarter of an hour wait (journalist asks: is it because people think there won't be any petrol left?) its because people think there will be a shortage and they are filling up tonight. 0.50 3. CU/TILT/GV: PETROL PUMP AND PAN TO MAN PUTTING PETROL IN CAR/ PRICE ON THE PETROL PUMP/ CARS LINING UP WAITING TO GET PETROL (4 SHOTS) 1.08 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 19th September 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVAD46ROIKZIVJOUMBULVBZ6PYAJ
- Story Text: French motorists have been queuing up at petrol
station in anticipation of a blockade of depots and oil
refineries by hauliers demanding a reduction in petrol prices.
Motorists across France spent several hours at the
petrol station Sunday (September 3) filling up their petrol
tanks fearing shortages as hauliers prepare for action.
As many as 2,000 heavy lorries could be blockading depots
and refineries on Monday according to France's leading road
haulage federation, the FNTR. Smaller groups and some
ambulance and taxi drivers are also expected to join.
The action follows a line of disruptions in the last few
days by small to medium sized businesses over high fuel
prices. French fishermen caused havoc earlier this week when
they blocked almost all ports along France's Channel and
Mediterranean coasts. Ferry services to Britain were disrupted
and thousands of British motorists planning to return home
from holidays were stranded at French ports. And on Friday,
farmers and taxi drivers snarled roads only a day after the
fishermen won concessions from the government and lifted their
own blockade.
A Transport Ministry spokeswoman told reporters
negotiations to avert the dispute, or end it quickly, were
underway on Sunday between government representatives, FNTR,
the smaller UNOSTRA and a third group.
She said the talks were "positive" and might successfully
conclude on Monday.
But spokesmen for FNTR and UNOSTRA said there had been no
contacts with the government since Saturday morning and warned
that the blockade movement would be "long and hard".
Motorists said people had been rushing out to get petrol
on Sunday and that by evening, many stations were out of
petrol.This man had to queue at another station before he was
able to find one with petrol.
"I think there may be a blockade for 2 or 3 days so until
they reach an agreement we need to get a little bit of petrol,
yes. (journalist asks: have you tried other petrol stations?)
oh yes. I flew off to 3 or 4 petrol stations and the cars flew
away.(journalists asks: what do you mean?) Well the cars leave
immediately without petrol.. its the flight of petrol!
(journalist asks: is there no more petrol?) yes, the petrol
stations are empty. Its the second station I have come to and
the other one was empty and I could not put any petrol after a
quarter of an hour wait (journalist asks: is it because people
think there won't be any petrol left?) its because people
think there will be a shortage and they are filling up
tonight."
Fuel represents approximately a quarter of hauliers'
operating costs. The FNTR say the 40 percent increase in the
price of diesel over the past year is crippling. Diesel prices
went up by 50 percent in 18 months.
Oil prices were at near-decade highs on Friday, with
benchmark Brent crude for October at 31. 57 US dollars a
barrel, well above a 30 US dollars flashpoint cited by the
United States as unacceptably expensive.
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