Protest at Moores Readymix Concrete in St Annes, 7 February 2017. Photo: Frank Roberts
Half an hour ago a second supplier pulled out of a contract with Cuadrilla for its fracking site at Preston New Road near Blackpool.
Opponents of Cuadrilla’s activities blockaded Moore’s Readymix Concrete in St Annes this morning.
Just before 9am, the company’s director, Roy Moore, sent an email to Cuadrilla confirming that he would not make further deliveries.
The email, copied to protesters, said:
“As you are aware the protesters have now moved to block our St Annes Depot and we have been unable to move raw materials in and concrete out for any customers this morning.
“I understand that this blockade will continue whilst we are supplying your contract at Preston New Road.
“In view of the drastic effect this is now having on the rest of my customers we have no alternative but to cease supplies to the above site.
“Obviously I need to take legal advice as to our position on this matter but no further deliveries will be made to your site.”
Yesterday Armstrong Aggregates in Bolton announced it was stopping supplies to Cuadrilla at Preston New Road after protesters blockaded Montcliffe Quarry in Horwich. DrillOrDrop report. Cuadrilla said that contract had already been fulfilled.
DrillOrDrop has asked for comments on today’s decision from Cuadrilla and the industry support group, Lancashire for Shale. This post will be updated with any response.
Collision
A protester received minor injuries following a collision with a car at the Moore’s site earlier this morning.
A statement from Lancashire Police said:
“During the protest there was a minor collision between a protestor and a Mitsubishi vehicle which is being investigated. The injured party received very minor injuries and the driver will be spoken to.”
Updated 10.30 7/2/17 to include statement from Lancashire Police and to correct location of Moore’s depot from Lytham to St Annes
Categories: Industry
DRILL OR DROP? 
[Comment removed by moderator]
Wise words here from an experienced activist/environmental scientist from Canada who identifies a pattern of fracking companies utilising community dissent to its dirty work. If we stand in opposition we’re going to have to find a way to stand together. This isn’t going to be easy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU6DJE9h6uc
A really wise move, not!
I suspect Cuadrilla will be able to find a way to deal with such actions. However, if they do not, then the state are obliged to step in, as they ruled the exploration should go ahead. This would result in much stronger police control, including action against individuals attempting intimidation and inciting illegal activities. This is not the first time this has happened, so there is a pattern already.
Looks to me certain parties have trashed not only their “democratic rights”, but many others as well, without thinking matters through. Always likely to happen when claims of moral superiority abound.
Absolutely Martin. This has got international attention and I doubt our Government wants to be seen as being ruled by an angry mob. I’m 100% all for decent and democratic protesting but what I’ve seen today is simply a group of left wing militants trying to intimidate people that are actually trying to earn a living. It’s the same reason that the Labour party are a basket case due to it being infiltrated by a small number of people that attempt to change the minds of the majority.
I’d suggest Ruth and pals start recording IP addresses and usernames as I can see where this is all leading to.
How interesting, since all we see from this side is the same in reverse.
Don’t you see the irony in all this? we are accusing each other of the same damn thing!
Right, i mean left, that is the last time i will mention right or left in a political context, its not correct, its not accurate and its divisive, when so much is divisive we should try to at least be respectful of each other and not use silly epithets to label each other with.
I apologize to all those i may have offended, its been a tough day and we should all give it a rest.
No wonder the local businesses are scared off because of these intimidating tactic. Like the guerrilla rebel militants and terrorism they can’t win the scientific debate the electoral vote the Parliamentary Committee vote and inquiry and so they intimidate the more vulnerable parties in the debate. Really noble of these mobs. Despicable no decency in a proud country such as our.
Mr M-I suspect others are already doing that.
Whilst I do not support any groups trying to block the testing of fracking in the UK, I have a little sympathy for them in this instance. BUT, it is only a little as the infiltration into their groups should have been controlled by them. There have been signs of this for quite a long time, including falsified letters of “objection” to Planning Committees and on-line intimidation, yet there has been little sign of any attempt to clean up the act.
The protest groups repeatedly insist the commercial companies control every facet of their operations, but show no responsibility to do the same themselves.
Clean up their act? On line intimidation? Falsified letters? What falsified letters? please provide these and state in detail how they are falsified?
Dear dear, what a turnaround for the books, after the lies and threats against landowners to allow seismic testing on their land, after the safety failures and earthquakes, after drivers being encouraged to ‘run the protesters over’, after all the insults personal abuse and intimidation by the pro frackers on these pages how you can claim the splinter in the eyes of the protesters but ignore the planks in your own?
It beggars belief, two wrongs do not make a right, I dont defend violence but violence wasnt used! Only slow walking was used! if people were not reduced to making a stand because of governmental favoritism towards the shale gas industry and removal of democratic right of objection of all of us as a result, none of this would be necessary, the government and industry only have themselves to blame.
What did you expect? That people just roll over and play dead the moment fracking is mentioned?
As regards showing control of every facet of the shale gas operations, clearly they do not do so and have no intention of doing so and hide behind the councils the government and the police every time they break the few regulations that do exist.
I am sorry Martin and Mr M but when the industry cleans up their act, they can accuse others of the same, but i see no evidence that they either can or will do that
It’s also worth noting that the current government have so many vested interests in the fracking industry that they cannot be considered unbiased in the issuing of fracking licences. Most notably in the previous cabinet George Osborne was responsible for issuing licences and his father-in-law was a major lobbyist on the industry’s behalf.
Similarly when looking at the various experts and organisations offering supporting evidence and opinion it is not generally made public that they are in the pay of the industry.
It’s what we call ‘The Old Boy’ network and the Americans call corruption, it dd for Clinton and look what we got instead!
PhilC-if you are not aware of the realities, that is a problem for you, not for me.
Strange, though, that we have had this discussion BEFORE, and then you acknowledged the facts.
Must be a whole family of you out there, as I am sure you would not be inconsistent just to support moral superiority..
Complementary as always, its a shame that the only consistency in PFI behaviour is to denigrate any and all opposition. There must surely be better and less polarising ways to make a point. But that I suppose that is to be expected considering the agenda, though it is regrettable.
“Only slow walking was used” So why are the police investigating intimidation? Check the facts. They may not be on Google, but they are readily available.
I have yet to see comments on here from anyone opposing proportionate and legal protest, so your “any and all” is a myth.
I posted yesterday the damage the recent actions could cause. Not with any inside knowledge but it was obvious for anyone to see. So, damage limitation is understandable but the need could have been avoided.
So now, with some uncontrolled action the legitimate protest has been totally redefined, and that is with a much wider audience.
And the damage recent O & G actions in UK could cause?
Who polices them? No sufficiently funded regulation authority? no on site monitoring? no threats and intimidation of landowners being investigated by the police? workers encouraged to run over protesters, dangerous driving by truck drivers, pinning protesters against a hedge, failures and law breaking ignored by council and police.
Consider the actions of the fracking companies across the world and now here and tell me that no intimidation occurs from the industry, no threats of legal action if people don’t give in to them, no destruction of communities and livelihoods because of a polluted environment, no air pollution, no accidents, no gas flares caused by cross contamination, no animals poisoned, no aquifers depleted and poisoned. There are many non disclosure agreements or the victims get nothing. There is lobbying corruption with politicians to keep their mouths shut, doctors and hospitals refused funding if they reveal illness caused by fracking, Catastrophic gas leaks on land and in oceans, waste water spread on roads, incompetent operation loose or non existent regulations, accidents not recorded or many months after the event, insufficient record keeping. That is only the short list.
None of that is there? i could go on but this divisive talk gets us nowhere. Stop attacking every thing any one says to oppose fracking, no one said the situation is perfect, far from it, but it is not the fault of the people of this country, this situation was imposed upon the people of this country by the industry and government.
Do you expect people to roll over and play dead each time the industry says Boo! That ain’t gonna happen, people are left with little or no way to protest, that is not their fault, it is the fault of this dictatorial government who have over ruled the peoples wishes and imposed this invasive industry without consent by the majority of people.
Go figure.
This comes from our own government and the industry that denigrates even the mildest protest and keeps stomping to make sure only the pros have a voice.
Perfection of attitudes and action is far from the present capabilities of the human race, but that doesn’t mean we cant and should try to do better, work towards a better future and maybe we can get somewhere, keep promoting division and polarisation and preserving the private interests of profit motivated invasive oligarchies and that just plunges us all back into the primal sludge. We should be better than that.
We get out of this now, this is the time to change all that, i try to hold out a hand but you keep slapping it away, that is your agenda, not mine.
I will no longer respond to these divisive posts.
Situations are imposed upon everyone one of us, every day of the year. We can all work to mitigate against this, but ultimately we need to do this within acceptable limits. I do not expect to walk down the road to try and bully the builders installing the solar farm, or the builders constructing the housing developments. I had my opportunity to make my case, and did so, but was not successful. So, life goes on and I make the best of what has been agreed by others. The alternative of a desert island is not an option, and anarchy has it’s own problems..
I agree with you, we are stuck in a hard place and on the surface it seems hopeless, but to keep throwing rocks at anyone by anyone isn’t going to get us anywhere but a headache and more rocks to throw. Peace cannot be achieved by war, conflict and violence only begets conflict and violence.
I have a fear this fracking will turn into warfare on both sides, and that must not happen, we have had enough of that, we should be sick of it.
Regarding fracking sooner or later we must have a meeting of hearts and minds on all sides, the longer that is delayed the worse it will be, there is that much anger on both sides.
That is why i have said several times that there should be a free and open discussion on all the issues and take note of every issue, no anonymity, no time limits, no questions left unanswered. There will be more rocks thrown if that doesn’t happen, we are not perfect by any means but nor is anyone else, and too many rocks have been launched without the people who will have suffer this industry even having their say or be listened to, and the industry must have their say too, but no accusations on either side, only a free and frank discussion of how to go about calming both sides. This must be done as many times as it takes to get this all into perspective.
If it comes down to ultimatums then so be it, but it must be declared and written down so no one is in any doubt, then both sides must take it direct to government and the issues must be listened openly and with all freedom of press and observers and not fobbed off with closed sessions, private meetings or silenced in any way.
That asking too much?
Great news keep up the pressure
every supplier and contractor to the fracking industry is a legitimate target