Hundreds of drivers join in A1 go-slow in protest at rocketing fuel prices

Drivers set off from Stannington Services, near Morpeth, this afternoon with the aim of driving to Wetherby services in North Yorkshire at 30mph.

The protest is the brainchild of motoring enthusiast Jay Garside, who runs the Summer Maddness car club.

Drivers have been urged to use blue decorations to show they are part of the protest.

A statement on the club’s Facebook page sets out the thinking behind today’s demonstration.

"This protest is about being heard, being noticed and standing up to the government over the fuel tax we pay,” it says.

“Blocking roads is illegal, blocking petrol stations is illegal and only hits that specific business (who only get just over £3 for every £100 of fuel you put in your tank… the government get £50 of that £100).

“That is what we are protesting over, fuel tax needs to be reduced and this is our way of being noticed and being heard.

“Hopefully our protest will be the start of many across the UK and we support every single one, we stand together until fuel tax is reduced.”

The page says the protest has the support of ‘haulage companies, recovery companies, truck show groups sending wagons/trucks and vans, various other modified car groups and a mass of general public from all over the UK’.

The group is planning a repeat protest on July 4 to tie in with other protests taking place all over the UK.