Key workers could go without fuel because of panic buying at petrol stations across the UK, the chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association has warned.
Brian Madderson told Sky News the crisis is “going to get worse before it gets better” and suggested it could affect the emergency services and other “really serious jobs”. It came after the president of the AA described the supply problems as a “temporary blip” caused by panic buying rather than fuel shortages.
Long queues continued to form at forecourts across the UK on Saturday morning despite pleas from ministers and police, who urged motorists to be “sensible” to prevent exacerbate the situation. Some of the largest UK operators have already started to ration fuel, with EG Group setting a limit of £30 per customer at nearly 400 stations, while pumps at some BP, Esso, Tesco and Shell sites were closed.
The crisis was sparked by the shortage of HGV drivers and the government is now considering lifting its visa restrictions to attract 5,000 foreign workers in to the country.
However government insiders have told The Independent it might already be too late to stop disruption to the Christmas holiday. Cars queue outside petrol station in in Slough, Berkshire (PA)A Shell garage employee holds a sign on the side of the road informing a queue of traffic that they do not have unleaded petrol
An aerial view shows customers queueing in their cars to access an Asda petrol station in east London.
A man carrying multiple fuel containers at a Tesco petrol station in Bracknell, Berkshire.
BBC reporter Phil McCann went viral on Saturday while reporting on the fuel crisis live from a petrol station
Petrol stations already rationing fuel due to panic buyers The president of the AA said earlier some petrol stations had already begun “rationing” the amount of fuel customers can buy, prioritising essential workers looking to fill up.
Mr King told ITV news: “Some petrol stations are rationing the amount of fuel and only allowing £30 to be purchased and that means it does go further so that essential workers can get fuel.
“Some garages are giving priority to essential workers, some delivery vehicles have been given priority.”
The motoring boss stressed, however, “there is plenty of fuel at source” and so issues would be a “short-term thing”. Mr King said the majority of garages closed on Saturday should be reopened “within 24 to 48 hours once they are refilled”.
A closed petrol station in Ashford, Kent
What is going on with the transport indsutry? LBC’s Ben Kentish asks the important question. Timelapse footage shows queue for petrol stations
Timelapse footage shows traffic queuing along the A325 towards a Shell garage in Farnborough, Hampshire, as motorists continue to fill their cars amid fuel crisis. It also captures one motorist rocking his car in an attempt to get more fuel in his tank.
The president of the AA, Edmund King, says panic-buying, rather than supply chain issues, is the driving force of fuel shortage at some petrol stations.
Timelapse footage shows the traffic queuing along the A325 towards a Shell garage in Farnborough, Hampshire as motorists continue to fill their cars amid fuel crisis.
Long queues are witnessed around the UK, as panic buying has led to a shortage of fuel after supply problems were announced.
The footage also captures one motorist rocking his car in an attempt to get more fuel in his tank. The president of the AA, Edmund King, says panic-buying, rather than supply chain issues, is the driving force of fuel shortage at some petrol stations.
Taxi boss warns panic buying will endanger vulnerable people most.
A taxi chief has criticised panic buyers, saying black cab drivers are unable to fill their vehicles with fuel and warned vulnerable people are being left without essential transport.
David Lawrie, director of the National Private Hire and Taxi Association, based in Manchester, told the i newspaper: “We’re in the same situation as the toilet roll panic buying at the start of the Covid crisis.
“There isn’t actually a real shortage of fuel, but a shortage is being created by the panic buying and people are filling their tanks up when they don’t actually need the fuel – and then some of them are actually booking taxis to take them places to preserve their own fuel.
“What they don’t seem to realise is that for taxi drivers, it is their living and if they can’t get fuel, they can’t work – and that has a huge knock-on effect on the public too.”
Mr Lawrie also warned that if the panic buying crisis continues, taxi drivers will have no choice but to stay at home and turn down work.
He told i:“Special education needs children won’t be able to be transported to school, the elderly, housebound and disabled won’t be able to leave their homes and vulnerable people won’t be able to go out and get their shopping. The problems are not down to a shortage of fuel, but because people are panic buying and some selfish people are even filling jerry cans to hoard.”
Journalist helps push a car into petrol station amid fuel crisis
Footage shows a man pushing his car into a petrol station in Bristol, amid a lack of fuel caused by panic-buying, before he asks a journalist recording the long queues to help him.
The footage had to be muted in part because of the strong language used during the frustrating situation.
Long queues keep forming at forecourts across the UK, while ministers and police urged motorists not to panic-but and to be “sensible”.
Footage shows a man pushing his car into a petrol station in Bristol, amid a lack of fuel caused by panic-buying.
The man asks a journalist, who was recording the long queues that have formed at petrol stations all across the UK, for help pushing the car that ran out of fuel.
The footage had to be muted in part because of the strong language used during this frustrating situation.
Long queues keep forming at forecourts across the UK, while ministers and police urged motorists not to panic-but and to be “sensible”.
'Panic buying is the issue, not the supply chain’ In case you missed this, the president of the AA criticised panic buyers and said it was this rather than supply chain issues which was “driving the shortage of fuel”.
Edmund King, the president of the AA (Automobile Association), told BBC Breakfast this morning the problem should pass in a matter of days if drivers stuck to filling up when they needed it, adding “there is plenty of fuel at source” and that a shortage of lorry drivers had only been a “localised problem” earlier in the week.
Meanwhile, Tony Danker, the director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said it was “a shame” that queues had to form before the government acted, but described ministers’ expected post-Brexit U-turn on visa rules for foreign HGV drivers as “a huge relief”.
Mr Danker told the BBC: “Hopefully it is going to happen and it is a huge relief. We’ve been calling for it for three months, we could see this problem coming and more problems coming, and so it’s a shame the government needed queues at the pumps to move, but move I hope they have and it will help.”
Frustrated customers fight on Esso forecourt Shocking footage shows the moment a massive brawl breaks out as frustrated customers fight on Esso forecourt amid UK fuel crisis.
It is believed to have started over fuel with video showing parents scuffling on the car bonnet and the younger boys fighting on the floor.
After the scrap, the group then help each other off the floor and pat each other on the back as onlookers watch on. Shocking footage shows the moment a massive brawl breaks out as frustrated customers fight on Esso forecourt amid UK fuel crisis.
The brawl is believed to have started over fuel with the parents scuffling on the car bonnet and the younger boys fighting on the floor.
After the scrap, the group then help each other off the floor and pat each other on the back as onlookers watch on.
Long queues continue to form at forecourts across the UK despite pleas from ministers and police, who urged motorists to be “sensible” to prevent exacerbating the situation.
Elderly man misses A&E appointment because of garage queues
A 75-year-old man has told of how he missed his emergency appointment at Barnet General Hospital in London thanks to traffic queueing for the nearby Esso garage.
Raymond Cohen, 75, had felt faint this morning, prompting his wife, Jackie, to drive him to see a doctor.
Jackie told MailOnline the queues were “horrendous” and were not being controlled at all.
Mr Cohen was told to visit A&E by his doctor, but what should have been a 10-minute journey ended up taking over an hour.
He has now made it to the hospital and is having tests, according to reports.
Twitter continues to make light of BBC reporter Phill McCann’s name
A BBC reporter went viral on Saturday while reporting on the national fuel crisis.
Phil McCann took to Twitter to make light of his interesting day, positing an image of him at a petrol station giving the thumbs up.
Later on in the day, a social media user pulled together a collage of some of the times a journalist or expert’s name has echoed the subject they’re reporting on or their job in general.
Below are some pictures:
Credit: The Independent