DRIVERS have been warned of potential disruption across Scotland’s motorways as fuel protests are set to target key routes amid spiralling costs.
Viral social media posts claimed that farmers were planning to block the M8 between junctions 20 and 19, the A1(M) at Scotch Corner, and the M6/M74 at the Scottish border over the next three days, over the recent rise in fuel prices.
Demonstrators were supposed to start their protest at 12pm on Wednesday and continue until Friday.
However, it has been reported that there is no disruption to any carriageways in the country so far and that traffic is flowing freely over the Kingston Bridge.
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Organisers of the protest have urged HGV drivers and members of the public to join them in blocking key roads at the Scottish border.
Both Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council confirmed they were aware of the plans, with the force adding “appropriate resources” are in place to mitigate any potential disruption to the public.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are aware of potential planned protest activity due to take place in various sections of the motorways in Scotland over the next few days, Wednesday, April 15 – Friday, April 17, 2026.
“We will have appropriate resources in place to ensure the safety of those in attendance and mitigate disruption to the wider community.”
Several routes across the border were also supposed to be targeted, including the M6 junction 20, the M6 Spaghetti Junction (all routes), the A1 near Moto Grantham, and junctions on the M5/M4 and M1/M25.
Further meeting points include the M25 at the Dartford Crossing (northbound and southbound), M2 junction 3, M20 junction 6, the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge, the A50 Uttoxeter Bypass (JCB), and the Port of Felixstowe container terminal.
The planned protests come in the wake of similar demonstrations in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland earlier this month following soaring fuel prices due to the Strait of Hormuz blockade by Iran.
A fifth of the world’s traded oil passes through the Strait in peacetime, and Tehran’s stranglehold, with its strikes on energy infrastructure in the region, has had far-reaching consequences for the global economy.
The effects of the conflict in the Gulf have been felt by those across the UK, with some Scottish motorists finding their local supermarket pumps closed, stating they are out of fuel.
Despite the closures, some of the UK’s biggest retailers like Tesco and Sainsbury's have insisted there is no shortage and that they have “good availability” of all fuel grades, along with regular deliveries to all stores.
However, fuel prices have increased with petrol currently costing £1.58 per litre and diesel £1.91, with some motorway stations charging close to or above £2.00 per litre for diesel, according to the RAC.
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William Taylor, Farmers For Action co-ordinator based in Northern Ireland, said in a statement on Monday: “Farmers For Action are privileged to be asked by farm organisations across the UK and accompanied by support from organisations across these islands to consider a UK-wide tax and fuel protest.
“Currently, it has been agreed to wait and watch over the coming days with reference to fuel prices and governments’ reactions to the plight that family farmers, SME’s, the haulage industry and the UK’s workforce find themselves in.
“There is huge concern that current policies are failing to address the pressures facing key sectors of the UK economy.”
Slow-moving convoys of tractors and other vehicles brought disruption to a number of major roads in Northern Ireland earlier this week.
It came after larger-scale fuel protests in the Republic of Ireland, where motorways were brought to a standstill and fuel depots were blockaded.
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