Pumps run dry in petrol crisis
DRIVERS were urged not to panic-buy fuel as forecourts in Macclesfield ran dry amid chaotic scenes.
Companies in the industry and the government have emphasised there are no shortages of petrol and diesel, just supply chain issues that will be addressed.
But from Friday, September 24, these issues – coupled with motorists rushing to stock up – led to petrol stations struggling to meet demand.
Army tanker drivers are on standby to ease the problems but in the meantime lengthy queues formed in Macclesfield.
By Monday motorists going to the Shell garage in Broken Cross and BP in Monks Heath were left disappointed.
And the Esso on Churchill Way ran out on Monday evening, although it was expecting a delivery of petrol and diesel on Tuesday afternoon.
Pexall Service Station, on Chelford Road, exhausted supplies on Saturday, but was getting restocked on Tuesday morning.
Tesco advised that it was getting deliveries to its petrol stations ‘all the time’ so could not provide information on availability at specific sites.
Its Hurdsfield superstore did have fuel by Tuesday as availability began to increase again, but was the scene of lengthy tailbacks on Friday.
Nicola Goulding was among those to capture the scene on camera as she spent 45 minutes queuing.
Elsewhere there were reports of people filling up their car and jerry cans. And others took to Facebook to criticise this behaviour as well as plea for information on where petrol was available for essential journeys.
But there were also tales of more generous behaviour - one truck driver fashioned a funnel out of a tube of Pringles to give a stranded mum some fuel.
Calls have been made for Macclesfield Hospital workers and other NHS staff to be given priority.
It was announced on Monday that military drivers will get specialised training in preparation for their possible deployment. The supply issues have been blamed on a lack of qualified drivers.
The government is writing letters to more than a million people with HGV licences to try and encourage them to come back to work, and is offering temporary visas to more than 5,000 foreign drivers.
Environment Secretary George Eustice also pointed the finger at motorists, saying: “There isn’t a shortage [of fuel]. The cause of these current problems is that panic-buying episode and the most important thing is for people to start buying petrol as they normally would.”
In a joint statement, fuel suppliers including BP, Esso and Shell said: “There is plenty of fuel at UK refineries and terminals, and as an industry we are working closely with the Government to help ensure fuel is available.”