The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Campaigners scrap bridges blockade plan
Protesters have said plans to block Fife bridges over rising fuel prices this weekend have been cancelled.
However, they have suggested a future blockade may take place once they have taken legal advice.
Social media users shared an image this week containing details of the planned protest.
Organisers called on drivers to block “all three bridges from/to Fife” – the Tay Road Bridge,
Queensferry Crossing and Forth Road Bridge – on June 18 from 7am to 7pm.
The message said: “Block the bridges so they bring down the fuel prices!”
Police and bridge authorities said they were aware of plans and had put preparations in place to police it “appropriately”.
A Facebook group called Fuel Price Stand Against Tax lists a number of similar events across the UK.
A similar protest took place in Wales on Thursday and was praised by members of the group, which has more than 41,000 members.
That event did not involve a road being fully blocked, but rather a number of vehicles driving slowly enough to cause long queues of traffic.
Dundee man Dean Smith, who is a member of the Fuel Price Stand Against Tax group, said the planned bridge protest had been cancelled over
concerns about hospital access. Ninewells in Dundee is the nearest hospital for much of north Fife and the Tay Road Bridge is the quickest route there.
The original post appears to have now been deleted.
Copies of it, however, are still circulating on social media.
Tayside and Fife
commuters might not be out of the woods yet. Mr Smith said: “We are seeking legal advice before we proceed” with another protest in future.
He would not explain who else is involved or what the legal advice was for.
Fuel prices have rocketed recently, with diesel at one Fife garage reaching more than £2 per litre.
Police Scotland, the Tay Road Bridge Board, Bear Scotland and Transport Scotland were contacted for comment.
All said they were aware of the social media posts.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “We are aware of a potential protest and it will be policed appropriately.”