TANKER drivers at a Kingsbury depot walked out and mounted picket lines in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Jet fuel tanker drivers working for Wincanton have extended their strike action until Thursday February 16 in an escalation of the long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

Tanker drivers walked out at 5am on Friday February 3 after the breakdown of talks, mounting picket lines at depots in Kingsbury, Immingham and Stockton-on-Tees in the dispute which had already seen seven days of strike action.

The additional seven days of action until 4.59am on Thursday February 16 will put intense pressure on petrol supplies to Jet's 381 forecourts and will mean tanker drivers will have been on strike for an unprecedented 21 days.

Unite has repeatedly said that Jet's owner, ConocoPhillips, and road hauliers Wincanton have generated more than enough profits to pay for improvements to pay and conditions and warned that their stance would destabilise the supply of a vital resource.

Unite national officer, Matt Draper, said: "Tanker drivers are once again showing their determination to defend their pay and conditions.

"We had hoped we could resolve the dispute through the talks and offered concessions.

"But Wincanton's failure to offer these highly skilled drivers security over their futures and their pay and conditions means the supply of fuel to Jet forecourts is once again under threat.

"Wincanton needs to recognise the strength of feeling and start talking seriously about a fair solution."

The Herald was previously contacted by a worker at the Kingsbury depot, who wished to remain unnamed.

The source said: "All the drivers are asking for is some security around a dangerous job."

Wincanton have issued a statement saying they don't want to comment.