Britain’s gas stations are running out of fuel, as drivers rush to buy up the last few days’ worth before Brexit.
The petrol stations fuel shortage morrisons is a problem that has been present for a while. Petrol stations have been running out of fuel in the U.K., and some people are turning to panic buying as a result.
LONDON— After panic purchasing over the weekend created lengthy lines of consumers waiting to fill their tanks, the British government is rushing to recruit drivers to transport gasoline to gas stations throughout the nation.
Because to the Covid-19 epidemic and the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, there is a scarcity of tanker drivers to transport gasoline throughout the nation. After media reports that a few of petrol outlets had to shut owing to low supplies, panic purchasing began last week.
Cars queued up at petrol stations over the weekend, and several were forced to shut when their supplies were depleted by concerned consumers.
According to a spokesperson for the British government, troops are currently on standby to provide gasoline supplies if the situation worsens. “We don’t believe that is essential at this time,” said George Eustice, the UK Environment Secretary. Both the government and the oil corporations have said that there is sufficient gasoline in the United Kingdom; it just has to be trucked to the gas stations.
To relieve strain on hauliers, the government is easing visa requirements for 5,000 truck drivers from throughout the EU for a limited time.
It has also enlisted the assistance of the military to alleviate a backlog of individuals waiting to take truck driving exams. Competition laws have been waived in order for oil firms to exchange information about gasoline shortages and better target their supplies.
“We are in the midst of a gasoline panic, not a fuel crisis. “It’s not like the refineries have shut down,” said Duncan Buchanan, policy director for the Road Haulage Association, a lobbying organization. Officials expect that after individuals have filled up their tanks, the spike in demand will subside.
After running out of gas, a petrol station in Guildford, England, was forced to shut on Monday.
Photo courtesy of Bloomberg News/Jason Alden
According to the Petrol Stores Association, which represents independent gasoline retailers, almost two-thirds of its members are out of gas. According to the organization, the United Kingdom has 8,300 petrol stations. To prevent traffic jams, existing supplies are being prioritized for highway gas outlets.
The fuel shortage is the latest illustration of a serious issue in the United Kingdom: there aren’t enough individuals willing or capable of driving trucks.
Following its exit from the EU, the United Kingdom terminated EU nationals’ automatic right to reside and work in the country. It enacted a rigorous immigration policy that required lower-paid and lower-skilled employees to satisfy stringent requirements in order to enter the nation. The government claims that this will push British companies to train and compensate local employees better.
However, it has resulted in a short-term driver shortage. The epidemic has worsened the situation by causing a surge in demand for employees. Mr. Buchanan claims that many tanker drivers have moved on to other careers due to a lack of wage raises. During the epidemic, many would-be drivers were unable to take their driver’s exams.
According to the Road Haulage Association, there is a shortfall of 100,000 drivers in the United Kingdom. Due to post-Brexit migration law changes, it is estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 drivers are no longer working in the nation.
The government said it will write to individuals in the United Kingdom who have truck driving licenses but are not presently employed, pleading with them to return. According to the Road Haulage Association, driver training takes 18 months.
The new visa procedure for international drivers has yet to be revealed in detail. The visa will go into effect in October and will be valid until December. It’s uncertain if the United Kingdom will be able to recruit additional drivers from other European countries, given the worldwide need for drivers. Officials in the British government think that competitive wages in the United Kingdom will attract foreign drivers.
Calling in the army, according to PRA head Brian Madderson, would not necessarily solve the issue, since truck drivers must also be trained in loading and emptying gasoline tanks.
Max Colchester can be reached at max.colchester@wsj.com.
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The petrol stations fuel shortage near me is a problem that has been present in the U.K. for quite some time now. Panic buying caused shortages at gas stations, which then created long lines and angry customers.
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