Hundreds of truck drivers are converging on the British parliament to protest the sharp rise in fuel prices.

Policecleared a section of a main highway into London Wednesday, toprovide protesting truckers with a staging area. Officers then beganescorting truck convoys to outside the Houses of Parliament, where theywere joined by supporters.

The drivers want the government toscrap plans to raise fuel taxes by four cents a liter in October, andalso arrange for a 50-cent cut per liter in the cost of fuel.

Truckerunions say British trucking companies can not compete against rivals incontinental Europe, where fuel tariffs are lower. Drivers say theirfuel costs have risen 20 percent so far this year.

Today's protest is the third in and near London in recent weeks.

Risingfuel costs have sparked protests across much of Europe and Asia inrecent months. Several hundred truckers jammed London roadways in May,in a similar protest.

Some information for this report was provided by and Reuters.