TRAFFIC was brought to a standstill on the busy A40 at Monmouth on Thursday when up to 150 farmers and truck drivers protested at rising fuel prices.
A slow moving convoy of tractors and lorries set off from Ross Cattle Market and travelled along the dual carriageway to Monmouth and then back to Ross. Other protesters joined them along the way.
Queues of traffic were held up for three hours in a six-mile tailback that surprisingly still had the support of the majority of the public caught up in the demonstration.
On the day that saw others end their peaceful protests at fuel depots, a final reminder to the Government was made with a number of similar convoys across the country.
As the protesters set off one local farmer said: "Fuel prices affect all our in-puts and we're going to go out of business very fast. We've got to make the Government sit up and come and talk to us and really do something positive.
"A point still has to be made. Tony Blair and the Government have to realise that they've got to talk to the electorate - to businesses. We have a meltdown in agriculture and nobody will listen."