A convoy of up to 100 lorries will stage a "go-slow" protest on the M8 over the rising price of fuel.

Protestors will start at Strathclyde Country Park and travel from North Lanarkshire to Holyrood to hand in a letter to Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson urging for a reduction on fuel duty.

Bothwell based Bullet Express organised the convoy which follows similar protests in Wales and London last month.

David McCutheon, managing director of Bullet Express said other firms have been forced out of business due to rising costs and that his company would have to pay an extra £150,000 for fuel this year.


"The industry is already struggling with the working time directive and the normal cost of fuel," he said. "In the last year the price of fuel has increased by 25% - it's a hefty blow.

"I just felt that the anger was there in the road haulage industry. We want the government to start looking at us in a different light. This could become a weekly event," he said.

Patrick Harvie, from the Scottish Green Party, doubts tax cuts will

would make much difference.

He said: "The reality of the situation is that the era of cheap oil is over, and further increases in the oil price will wipe out any short-term tax changes almost immediately."

The convoy will begin at 9am and is expected to reach Edinburgh at 11am. Lorries, escorted by police, will travel in one lane of the motorway at normal speed.

(GK/JM)