In an attempt to avoid another nationwide fuel blockade, the British government announced yesterday that it would cut taxes on cars, trucks and some grades of fuel.

According to Associated Press reports, Treasury chief Gordon Brown said his package of tax cuts, effective in April, was equivalent to a reduction of 44 cents per gallon of diesel for truckers and 22 cents a gallon for passenger vehicles.
Some protesters said the government should do more and that they would support further action, reported AP.
In September, loosely organized groups of truckers and farmers caught the government off guard when they blockaded refineries around Britain. Fuel stations ran dry within days.
Despite the inconvenience, opinion polls revealed that large majorities of the public supported the protests and resented fuel taxes, now the highest in Europe.
The government also announced it would propose a tax disc system (similar to U.S. vehicle licenses) that would impose higher charges on foreign trucks operating in Britain, but Brown gave no details, AP said.