A possible wave of protests against soaring fuel prices will be discussed by hauliers today, amid fresh signs that spiralling energy costs are hurting the economy.

The meeting of representatives of more than 1,300 Scottish hauliers comes as British Airways prepares to implement its third fuel surcharge of the year. The hauliers are worried that many of their businesses could go bust because of the pressures of higher fuel costs. The meeting today of the Road Haulage Association of Scotland comes as the organisation gave warning that the mood among drivers was worse than during the blockades of 2000, when petrol shortages paralysed parts of the country.

Many hauliers are self-employed or work for small businesses and complain that they cannot absorb spiralling costs. With average forecourt prices of more than £1 a litre, Phil Flanders, the director of the Scottish haulage group, said: “Drivers are at their wits’ end. Prices have gone up 50 per cent since 2003 and not very many are making an adequate return. People out there really are very angry. Some are on the breadline.”

Full blockades of fuel terminals by drivers would be illegal, but Mr Flanders said that drivers were “older and wiser” than they were seven years ago. Then, the Government put pressure on the unions to help to end the protests, which some described as a bosses’ strike because so many of the hauliers ran their own businesses. But the hauliers also made clear that they would consider all options. Jack Semple, head of policy for the national Road Haulage Association, said that hauliers were “frustrated” by the high prices and by the higher duty rates in Britain compared with other European countries. He said: “We are looking towards the Government for help in terms of an equal duty playing field with Europe to achieve price stability.”

Some analysts are predicting a further 3p-a-litre increase in forecourt petrol prices by Christmas.

Meanwhile, BA said yesterday that it had no option but to raise surcharges as the price of crude oil threatened to hit $100 a barrel. It said that oil costs $20 a barrel more than in June, when it previously increased the fuel surcharge.

From Thursday the surcharge for long-haul flights of more than ten hours will be increased by £15 to £58 a flight. For long-hauls of nine hours and shorter the charge will go up by £10 to £48, and short-haul travellers will pay another £2, taking their costs to £10. The new costs will apply to tickets booked from Thursday.

A barrel of Brent crude oil cost $91.74 when the market closed yesterday, down $1.44 on the day. BA said that it expected to pay an extra £136 million for fuel between now and April, although it attempts to reduce its costs by hedging.

The increasing concern in industry over oil prices comes as Opec meets on Thursday amid renewed pressure to increase output.

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