by Angela Cole

Chief Reporter
acole@thekmgroup.co.uk

More than 100,000 people have given their backing to a petition against rocketing fuel prices.

The FairFuelUK petition championed by Kent businessmen, reached the 100,000 signature mark on the government’s e-petition website on Monday.

As soon as the 100,000 trigger is reached on any petition the government has promised to debate the issue behind it.

The Fair Fuel UK campaign urges the government to do more to bring down the cost of fuel, including scrapping the planned 4p fuel duty increases scheduled for January and August 2012 and finding a way to stabilise pump prices.

Motoring journalist Quentin Willson has leant his support and the campaign has been championed by former prospective Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Maidstone and the Weald, Peter Carroll, and Cranbrook businessman Howard Cox.

The pair were among campaigners who braved the Tory party conference in Manchester on Monday to highlight the issue.

Mr Carroll, a former Larkfield haulier, said: "We went to the conference because this issue is crucial. In the end, the only people who can solve the fuel price issue are the MPs.

"Passing the 100,000 mark is really historic because this initiative from the government has only been going about 10 weeks and we managed to get to the 100,000 mark in about eight weeks."

"The price of petrol and diesel is the issue, which is hurting every family and every business every time they fill up their tank. My belief is that it is vital for politicians to listen to what’s actually hurting the people on the ground."

Mr Carroll promises “the mother of all campaigns” should the government not debate the issue, and other campaigners will meet a group of MPs about the issue on Tuesday .

The petition can be viewed at http://bit.ly/FFUK-Gov