AROUND 100 HGV drivers are set to protest near a Hampshire refinery over rising fuel costs.

A number of companies were due to get together at Fawley refinery today in the hope that politicians will take notice of their concerns. 

A Facebook event has now been created for the protest by Dean Hillier, Managing Director at Hillier Recycling. The firm operates across the New Forest and Southampton. 

The company is just one of those due to attend after fuel costs shot up in recent months.

It comes ahead of government-led changes to the use of cheaper, red diesel, which will mean certain industries will no longer be able to use it.  

The change, which is set to hit the waste management company, is due to be imposed at the start of next month. 

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But Dean said companies that are already struggling will now be hit by this and that Hillier's costs alone are due to rise by 150 per cent as a result. 

He said: "We were at 45p a litre but now at current rates, you're looking at about £1.60 a litre.

"We're using generally 6,000 or 7,000 litres a week. It's a big increase which we've got to pass on to our customers.

"It's not just us, it's every industry that's going to be affected. we've all got together and said enough is enough.

"We think we've got to stand up and try and say something and see if someone listens."

The company operates around 15 HGVs in total, and along with around five other companies, it is expected around 100 vehicles will descend on the refinery at 2pm.

Now the group is calling for action to be taken to back hauliers and keep prices under control by introducing an essential user rebate of 15p per litre.

They are also urging the government to delay the planned removal of rebates for red diesel by 12 months.

Dean added: "With the red diesel, they've done this taxation for reasons we understand, obviously by 2050 they want to reduce the greenhouse gases, which is good.

"But by getting rid of red diesel, the only alternative fuel that you can use in plant vehicles is white diesel. The government hasn't put any infrastructure in place for anything for these plant vehicles to run on."

ExxonMobil, which runs Fawley Refinery, decline to comment.