Gasoline shortages exacerbated by ‘panic buying’ in UK

Long queues at stations multiplied over the weekend, particularly in large cities and especially the capital, London. On Monday, about 30% of BP’s giant stations were affected by the fuel shortage.

One of our members received a container at noon. By the end of the afternoon, he was completely gone In people’s cars, official Brian Maderson said NSBritish Gas Stations Association, an association of fuel distributors, on BBC.

tabloid The the sun He quotes a crying medical assistant who had to go to three gas stations and wait a long time. Now I’m late seeing patients who depend on me for their meals and medicines, did she say.

The increase in demand for gasoline brought NSBritish Gas Stations Association It warned that up to two-thirds of its members at nearly 5,500 independent locations, out of a total of 8,000 gas stations across the country, ran out of fuel on Sunday, The others are almost dry.

In recent days and despite calls from the government not to panic, gas stations have been hit by a storm due to stock running out which is also affecting the shelves of agri-food products in supermarkets.

Motorists continue to queue at gas stations to fill their tanks.

Photo: Getty Images / Chris J Ratcliffe

A situation reminiscent of the 1970s when the energy crisis led to fuel rationing and a three-day work week. A decade ago, protests against rising fuel prices shut down refineries and paralyzed the country for weeks.

Faced with a fuel shortage or a lack of offers in stores, which has been attributed to a shortage of truck drivers, London finally decided on Saturday to change its post-Brexit immigration policy and give up to 10,500 temporary work visas.

These three-month permits, from October to December, should make up for a stark shortage of truck drivers, but also staff in key sectors of the British economy, such as poultry farming.

For his part, Minister of Business and Energy, Kwasi Kwarting, said in a statement on Sunday that he has temporarily exempted the fuel distributors sector from competition rules so that they can prioritize areas that need it most.

On Sky News, Brian Madderson attributed this panic effect to a Secret BP report leaked during government meeting from him aired Wednesday and follow up Panic shopping Thursday, Friday, Saturday and yesterday.

Army to the rescue?

Mr. Maderson Qualification The Improvement That Army Drivers Can Bring: It’s not as easy as you think, because truck drivers are very specialized Carrying carriers A Highly flammable liquid across the country Which requires proper loading and unloading procedures.

When repatriating European drivers who have returned to their countries due to the pandemic and Brexit, he said there had also been a shortage of drivers in continental Europe.

He pointed to the problem of accumulating licenses for driving heavy vehicles that cannot be passed during confinement. There are 40,000 pending HGV license applications from the UK.

However, Mr. Maderson said he hopes the problem will be partially resolved. by the end of the week.

Less optimistic, BP welcomed the government’s decision to grant more temporary visas to truck drivers, but felt it The sector will take time to boost deliveries and replenish stocks at point of sale.

In the midst of the opposition Labor Party’s annual conference, Labour’s chief financial officer, Rachel Reeves, criticized Boris Johnson’s Conservative government for being Sleeping at the wheel Facing a supply crisis in the country.