Where are fuel protests near Birmingham today? Which parts of the M5 are affected - as protestors cause delays

Fuel protests are taking place across the UK today causing disruption to major roads nationwide.

Protests are planned to take place in Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, London and Manchester.

According to the RAC around 18.8 million getaways will get underway in the UK between Friday and Monday as schools break up for the summer holidays.

These protests come after 12 people were arrested for pursuing the same slowing-down tactics on parts on the M4 on 4 July 2022.

So, how will the protests affect Birmingham?

Here’s everything you need to know about the action.

What group is behind the protests?

Fuel Price Stand Against Tax, a Facebook group with around 56,000 members, organised the protests.

The group shared a post suggesting that activists will gather throughout the nation to make their voices heard.

What is the average price of petrol in the UK?

According to confused.com, as of Thursday 21 July, the average price of petrol in the UK was 187.5p.

The average price of diesel in the UK was 196.3p.

Why are people protesting?

Protests are taking place from Friday 22 July and could run through the weekend.

The protests are against the record high prices for fuel amid the cost of living crisis which has put millions across the nation under financial pressure.

The increase in prices has added further pressure to those filling up their cars across the UK. At its highest the average price of a litre of diesel reached almost £2.

The RAC declared the issue a dark day for drivers when a 55 litre tank cost over £100 to fill at the start of june.

Is fuel expected to drop in the coming weeks?

The AA has suggested that the cost of filling up a car is set to drop by £10 within the next fortnight.

They added that the price of petrol has dropped by 2.8p a litre from record highs which would take around £1.50 off the overall price of a full tank of fuel.

Luke Bosdet at the AA said: “Wholesale petrol’s trajectory, if sustained, would lead to savings from the record highs – providing the fuel trade is prepared to pass them on.

“So far this morning, even with oil rebounding, wholesale petrol remains below 80.5p a litre.”

Where are the protests happening in Birmingham?

The M5 is said to be one of the major affected roads in the protest. This is a crucial route for many people travelling to and out of Birmingham so drivers have been told to expect delays.

The RAC reported that a particular part of the M5 that could be affected and filter through to Birmingham traffic is southbound Junction 15 Almondsbury Interchange to Junction 23 for the A38 Bridgwater.

Additionally the RAC listed the following roads to watch for delays:

• M25 anticlockwise Junction 4 Bromley to Dartford
• M4 eastbound Junction 30 Cardiff East to Junction 24 for the A449 Monmouth
• M25 anticlockwise Junction 17 Maple Cross to Junction 12 for the M3
• A303 westbound past Stonehenge
• M25 clockwise Junction 7 M23 to Junction 16 for the M40
• M25 anticlockwise Junction 17 Maple Cross to Junction 12 for the M3