FUEL tax campaigners revealed last night that they plan to mount fresh blockades in the North-East today.

The protest, which marks a return to direct action tactics, aims to repeat the success of the blockades of fuel refineries and depots last September, which almost brought the country to a halt.

Members of the People's Fuel Lobby (PFL) and Farmers For Action groups were planning to launch their latest strike this morning, despite reductions in petrol prices this week.

The protestors refused to reveal the targets for their blockades in the North-East and across the country for fear of pre-emptive action by police.

The campaigners say the police used hard-line tactics against November's Jarrow Crusade, preventing the convoy from having the impact they originally hoped.

John Coxon, of the PFL in the North-East, said: "People want to take direct action again. We have said all along we were going to wait until January and let people get Christmas and New Year over with."

The action comes despite news that another major oil company announced it was cutting pump prices yesterday.

Total Fina Elf lopped 2p off a litre of unleaded and ultra low sulphur petrol and 1p off ultra low sulphur diesel.

BP also cut 1p off a litre, following the lead set by Shell and supermarkets Sainsbury, Tesco, Morrisons and Asda.

Mr Coxon said last night: "We have actions taking place within the next 24 hours.

"It will be on the same lines as the blockades in September but we can't say what part of industry it is going to be. We are watching different places."

The protests could also involve slow-moving convoys in town and city centres.

But any blockades are expected to be short-lived, aiming to cause maximum impact before they can be disbanded by police and are not expected to be as disruptive as last year's widespread protests.

Among the likely targets could be the Jarrow terminal, blockaded for five days during September's protests, as well as the Sunderland fuel terminal and the Phillips refinery at Seal Sands on Teesside.

A police spokeswoman said they had no knowledge of any new blockades. She said: "Until we know what is happening it is not appropriate for us to comment."

Crude oil prices have fallen from £24 a barrel at the height of September's fuel crisis to about £17 now.

But as the price of oil falls, the amount of tax paid on petrol has risen from 76p in the pound at the time of the original blockades to 79p now.

David Handley, chairman of Farmers for Action and key player in September's blockades, said: "We're already in negotiations about new protests around the country and feeling is very high. It won't be too long before the troops are out."

Ray Holloway, director of the Petrol Retailers' Association, warned that the level of fuel duties limited the scope for cuts in pump prices.

He said: "That is the very reason why prices cannot fall much further in the UK - it won't be until you see a change in government policy that that could occur.

"If there was reason to protest in September there will certainly be reason for protestors to start again in the spring."

Susan Hancock, chief executive of the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers, said any new blockades were unlikely to have the impact of the September protests.

She said: "I think the Government will instruct the oil companies to keep the supplies going. Any future protest will meet with a harsh response."

Tory transport spokesman Bernard Jenkin said: "The real problem in Britain is that while we have the cheapest pre-tax petrol, we have the highest petrol taxes in Europe.