Hundreds of disgruntled drivers staged “go-slow” protests against rising fuel duty.

The action - on the M6, in North Wales and in Hampshire - came as petrol retailers battled to keep up with demand amid a walkout by tanker drivers.

Shell warned that sustained strike action could have a “significant impact” on its forecourts.

Up to 80 lorries, along with vans, cars, motorbikes and a caravan, travelled along the M6 from Lymm Services at Warrington, Cheshire to Carnforth, 60 miles north in Lancashire, and back.

Organiser Tony Burridge said he believed the demonstration was the biggest go-slow fuel protest on the motorway since the first fuel demonstrations began in 2000.

Mr Burridge, 50, a logistics manager from Preston, said: “We are hoping the strength of feeling shown during today’s go-slow will persuade the Government to reduce fuel duty.

“I am confident that if enough people take a stand the Government will realise that the rising cost of fuel is intolerable for ordinary working people and their families.”

Mr Burridge, who works for Valera, a commercial cooking and refrigeration equipment company, added: “It is not just hauliers who are facing hardship and having to make cut backs and redundancies.

“Looking at the line up of vehicles and people who have turned out today you can see that the high cost of fuel is hurting people in all walks of life.”

Fellow protester Steve Richardson, who owns a Manchester-based chauffeur company said his fuel bills had risen in the last six months from £1,700 a week to £2,500.

He said: “I can’t pass all of the fuel cost increases on to my customers, if I did I would have no customers left.

“The only solution is to make cut backs wherever I can, that means letting people go and denying others the pay rises they need and deserve.

“I’m angry that fuel duty is putting me out of business and I’m angry that the Government won’t listen to us.”

A further 50 trucks and other vehicles took part in a separate go-slow from north Wales towards Shell’s Stanlow oil refinery in Cheshire.

The protesters headed in convoy along the A55 and the M56, past the refinery where striking drivers are staging their picket, to Chester services.

Steve Williams, a haulage firm boss from Deeside, said he has already had to let go most of his staff.

He said: “Six weeks ago I had to let seven of my drivers go.

“In six months there will be no haulage industry left in the UK.

“All we can do is hold these protests in the hope that Gordon Brown will listen and give us some support.”

In Hampshire about 100 tractors, farm vehicles and lorries embarked on a protest through the New Forest.

The convoy set off under police escort from Stoney Cross just after 10am, travelling towards junction one of the M27, before joining the A31 at Ringwood.

Bruce Horn, 63, of Farmers for Action said: “We are asking the Government to abolish the threat of the 2p per litre increase on fuel scheduled for October and to reduce tax on fuel.

“They have made millions through extra VAT on fuel, we’re being taxed twice.

“We are also asking for a rebate for essential users including hauliers transporting food and supplies to grow food. If the Government wants to keep down the cost of food it should look at the production costs. Every expense puts costs up for consumers.”

He added that protesters want the Government to investigate oil companies for price fixing.

A Hampshire Police spokeswoman said the protest had passed peacefully with no reported incidents.