S
Sam Tabahriti
Guest
The ongoing fuel supply crisis sees petrol station queues entering its sixth consecutive day as Army is getting ready to deliver fuel to forecourts from Monday.
Brian Madderson, chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) – which represents almost 5,500 of the UK’s 8,000 independent petrol stations – told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the fuel shortages remain “a really big problem” in London and the South East.
He said: “In London and the South East and possibly parts of eastern England, if anything it had got worse.”
The chairman welcomed the announcement of the military drivers being deployed from Monday, but he warned it will only have a limited impact.
He said: “This isn’t going to be a major panacea. It’s a large help but in terms of the volume, they are not going to be able to carry that much.
“We do need a prioritisation of deliveries to filling stations – particularly the independent ones which are the neighbourhood retail sites – in London and the South East starting immediately.”
This comes amid the PRA saying earlier this week there were signs the crisis was improving but ‘far too slowly’, with independent stations still being hit with long queues.
Independent petrol stations make up 65 per cent of the entire network but they are not receiving enough deliveries of fuel compared with the bigger brands, he added.
Mr Madderson said rising world oil prices mean motorists should expect higher prices at the pumps when filling stations are resupplied. He added: “Expect anything from 1,2 or even 3p a litre increases at the pump.
“This is not profiteering. This is genuine wholesale price increases causes by global factors.”
Paul Drayton, of Drayton’s Garage near Royston in Hertfordshire, told the i this week that he has no idea when he will get a new delivery of fuel in.
“There’s a limited supply and we’re a smaller dealership so we’re not going to be the top of the priority list,” he said.
“Apart from a small amount of unleaded we’ve been out since last weekend and they don’t even tell us when they’re coming. We’re not Tesco or whatever, we’re just small fry so delivery is not going to be as prompt, but fingers crossed.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday the fuel situation is “stabilising” but urged people not to panic buy and instead “go about their business in the normal way and fill up when you need it.”
The shortage of HGV drivers is partly due to Brexit, with the UK shedding thousands of EU-born drivers as extra red tape was imposed.
There is also a backlog in HGV drivers waiting to take their tests due to pandemic delays. But many UK drivers have complained of poor working conditions and said that they are quitting the profession due to low pay, long hours, and bad treatment from employers.
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Brian Madderson, chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) – which represents almost 5,500 of the UK’s 8,000 independent petrol stations – told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the fuel shortages remain “a really big problem” in London and the South East.
He said: “In London and the South East and possibly parts of eastern England, if anything it had got worse.”
The chairman welcomed the announcement of the military drivers being deployed from Monday, but he warned it will only have a limited impact.
He said: “This isn’t going to be a major panacea. It’s a large help but in terms of the volume, they are not going to be able to carry that much.
“We do need a prioritisation of deliveries to filling stations – particularly the independent ones which are the neighbourhood retail sites – in London and the South East starting immediately.”
This comes amid the PRA saying earlier this week there were signs the crisis was improving but ‘far too slowly’, with independent stations still being hit with long queues.
Independent petrol stations make up 65 per cent of the entire network but they are not receiving enough deliveries of fuel compared with the bigger brands, he added.
Mr Madderson said rising world oil prices mean motorists should expect higher prices at the pumps when filling stations are resupplied. He added: “Expect anything from 1,2 or even 3p a litre increases at the pump.
“This is not profiteering. This is genuine wholesale price increases causes by global factors.”
Paul Drayton, of Drayton’s Garage near Royston in Hertfordshire, told the i this week that he has no idea when he will get a new delivery of fuel in.
“There’s a limited supply and we’re a smaller dealership so we’re not going to be the top of the priority list,” he said.
“Apart from a small amount of unleaded we’ve been out since last weekend and they don’t even tell us when they’re coming. We’re not Tesco or whatever, we’re just small fry so delivery is not going to be as prompt, but fingers crossed.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday the fuel situation is “stabilising” but urged people not to panic buy and instead “go about their business in the normal way and fill up when you need it.”
The shortage of HGV drivers is partly due to Brexit, with the UK shedding thousands of EU-born drivers as extra red tape was imposed.
There is also a backlog in HGV drivers waiting to take their tests due to pandemic delays. But many UK drivers have complained of poor working conditions and said that they are quitting the profession due to low pay, long hours, and bad treatment from employers.
Continue reading...