HUMBERSIDE POLICE STATEMENT issued 08:07 this morning (2nd March 2011).
Police were made aware of a blockade at the BP plant in Saltend at approximately 0615hrs with reports of workers blocking the access onto the site due to some sort of industrial dispute.
The exact nature of the dispute is not currently clear. Traffic is not being allowed onto the site by protestors.
There are quite considerable traffic problems being caused in the area including long delays around Preston, the eastbound carriageway of the A1033, Saltend roundabout is reported to be blocked, traffic is backed up as far as Seven Seas roundabout and motorists are stopping their cars as they are stuck. A couple of school buses are also stuck and more traffic will become involved as the roads get busier during the rush hour period.
The Hedon Road westbound slip road is blocked and there is a lot of standing traffic in the area.
Police are in attendance to try and resolve the traffic issues and get vehicles moving.
If motorists can avoid the area they should try to find an alternative route and hopefully the road will be cleared as soon as possible.
53.741573-0.198581
UPDATE 10am: Traffic problems at Saltend eased significantly. Workers and management meeting taking place. Only 6 pickets at the site. A quick look at the local roads does not reveal any visible queuing problems at the moment.
Whilst I respect the strong views of the workers at Saltend and understand they need to express their view points in a constructive manner, does it have to come with a cost of disrupting local residents of Hedon and the surrounding villages and more importantly at the cost of our childrens education. School and college buses have been severly disrupted it has taken my son one and a half hours to get to Wilberforce college????
Reported on Radio Humberside that workers are blocking the Vivergo Fuels site over a dispute about the lay-off of workers at that site. Blockade will continue until at least 10.ooam when meeting will be held.