Fuel protests caused widespread traffic disruption across Northern Ireland on Tuesday, with slow-moving convoys of tractors and lorries blocking major roads, including the A1 near Belfast and the Sydenham bypass near Belfast City Airport.
Around 35 vehicles, with flashing lights, occupied both lanes of the A1 heading towards Belfast in the evening. Earlier, the Sydenham bypass became heavily congested, with some motorists dangerously using cycle routes to bypass the protest. Ballygowan farmer Sam Hanna, leading the protest with his border collie Roy, said the action was not just about farmers but about extortionate taxes on fuel and other essentials.
Northern Ireland's Health Minister Mike Nesbitt appealed to protesters not to block roads, warning that disruption could put lives at risk by hindering emergency services and patients. He urged engagement in “legitimate legal protest.” First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly have written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer requesting a support package, including reduced fuel duty and aid for hauliers, farmers, and SMEs.
Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows called for an emergency meeting of the Stormont Executive to address rising fuel costs, acknowledging the unintended consequences of road blockades. The protests mirror similar demonstrations in the Republic of Ireland, which disrupted fuel supplies and traffic for a week, though blockades were cleared over the weekend.
