London (AP) Hundreds of truckers plan to jam part of central London to protest the rising price of fuel.

Haulers from across the country intend to drive in a convoy to Marble Arch in the center of the city today before handing in a petition to Prime Minister Gordon Brown's 10 Downing Street residence.

They are asking the government to compensate truck drivers for the soaring cost of gas. Record-high oil prices have helped drive the cost of diesel in Britain to what would be the US equivalent of $9 a gallon.

The truckers say thousands of jobs in their industry are threatened by the rising costs.

Many drivers also object to government plans to impose an environmental tax on some gas-guzzling cars.