There’s plenty if you’re not greedy

GREEDY motorists who are panic-buying petrol are cutting their own and everyone else’s throats, garages claimed this week. Station after station closed as supplies were exhausted. Garages have been either rationing customers from between £1 to £2 each while others have simply sold everything until they were empty. “It’s been pure madness,” was how a spokesman for Kennedy’s garage of Kennington described the rush. “They have been queueing every day right down the road for our ration of £1 a vehicle.” Kennedy’s, like many other garages in the district, are expecting their June supplies to be delivered this weekend. “If they don’t come through in time we shall be in trouble,” he said. Caffyns in Ashford closed their pumps on Tuesday afternoon when tanks dried up. They were expecting another tanker load later but will be imposing fairly strict rationing. Forecourt services manager Tom Earl said: “Many motorists have created this shortage, so they only have themselves to blame.” Europea Service Station, in Godinton Road, Ashford, which was closed throughout the holiday period, re-opened afterwards until Wednesday, when they ran dry. Chambers, of North Street, Ashford, also closed over the holiday and re-opened afterwards for drastically reduced hours. They are rationing each vehicle to £2 worth until Saturday. The fuel shortage has also hit Ashford council. Technical officer John Cooper said on Wednesday: “We are pretty close to running out. We have had a 20 per cent cut in supplies.”