FUEL CRISIS: LONG
Queues chaos goes on... but it’s a SIX-WEEK wait for EU drivers
AN ambulance joins a snaking queue for fuel – amid claims we face a six-week wait for the thousands of EU lorry drivers needed to help avert Christmas shortages.
As long lines continued across the country there were more ugly scenes between frustrated drivers.
A group of men were filmed brawling outside a petrol station in Epping, Essex.
Meanwhile, the ambulance queueing in Ashford, Kent, was a sobering sight.
Another ambulance with its blue lights flashing was caught up in the gridlock outside a filling station in South Harrow, North West London.
A fleet of government lorries took to the roads yesterday to help tackle the crisis. The 80 road tankers, stationed at Fenstanton, Cambs, and Bradford, West Yorks, are kept ready to be deployed within 24 hours’ notice.
Confirming the Reserve Tanker Fleet had been deployed, Business Secretary
Kwasi Kwarteng said:
“They are driven by civilians and will provide additional logistical capacity to the fuel industry.”
Insisting the fuel crisis was easing, he added: “We’re seeing signs the situation at the pumps has begun to improve with more stations getting more fuel.”
A decision to put 150 military drivers on standby has also been formally approved, meaning they can begin training in case they are required.
They could be deployed “in the coming days” if needed, sources said.
Industry giants including Shell, BP and Esso insisted in a joint statement that the situation was easing. They said: “While there has always been plenty of fuel at our refineries and terminals, we are also now seeing signs the situation at the pumps has begun to improve.
“We remain confident that the situation will stabilise further in the coming days and encourage everyone to fill up as they normally would to help forecourts return to normal.”
The Petrol Retailers Association, which represents two-thirds of UK filling stations, also said things were getting better. Boss Gordon Balmer said: “Only 27% of PRA members have reported being out of fuel today.”
It is feared the lorry driver shortage – estimated at 100,000 – could hit supplies of everything from food to toys in the run-up to Christmas.
Reports claimed it could be the middle of November before the 5,000 truckers being offered three-month work visas hit our roads. The time taken to set up the scheme, to select firms to process applications and for hauliers to recruit drivers could stop them getting on our roads any sooner, it was claimed.
The temporary visas are due to expire on Christmas Eve – leading the boss of a major UK haulier to tell The Grocer trade magazine: “To call it a threemonth scheme is disingenuous.” A government spokesman said: “We have taken immediate action to increase the supply of HGV drivers.
“This is a global problem and we’ve been working closely with industry for months to understand how we can boost recruitment.”
It comes as the Tory peer boss of fashion retail giant Next criticised the Government for the trucker crisis.
Brexit-backing Lord Wolfson claimed the lack of truckers had been “foreseen and widely predicted for many months”. He added: “They could have granted more visas.
“The visas were only granted when petrol queues formed. The system doesn’t respond fast enough.”
Keir Starmer also lashed Boris Johnson’s handling of the crisis.
Referring to the PM’s “levelling-up” boast, the Labour leader said at the Brighton party conference: “Level up? You can’t even fill up.”
Fuel prices could beat the record 142p per litre recorded in April 2012 even if the current crisis ends, drivers were warned. The RAC said average prices may hit 143p for petrol and 145p for diesel in the coming weeks – up from 135p and 138p now.
Simon Williams of the RAC said: “It’s being driven by what’s happening with the cost of oil, not by the delivery issues.”