Panic buying petrol and diesel: Britons at gas stations run out

Monday 27 September 2021

Panic buying petrol and diesel
Brits are running out of gas stations

Dozens of gas stations in the UK are forced to close because they can no longer be supplied with petrol and diesel. Long lines form in front of the remaining gas pumps. Demand for fuel has increased by up to 500 percent. One reason is Britain’s exit from the European Union.

Purchasing out of fear of horrific jams of petrol and diesel has put UK gas stations under severe pressure. According to the Gasoline Sellers Association, more than half of its members have run out of fuel. The association’s president, Brian Maderson, presenter BBC Radio 4, said demand was up to 500 per cent higher, hitting mainly petrol stations not on the highways. “Between 50 and 90 percent of their pumps are dry, and the pumps that are not empty are partially dry and will soon dry out.”

Because energy companies have given preferential treatment to gas stations on the highways, long queues and traffic jams have formed there, Maderson said. You will drive crowds of motorists to the most important connections in order to find a gas station. Maderson said government measures to issue work visas to up to 5,000 foreign truck drivers are insufficient. “We may see the benefits later in the fall when the drivers are here and start working, but in the very short term this panic buying has caused really serious problems.”

Recently, energy companies closed dozens of gas stations because they could no longer supply them with gasoline and diesel. This led to panic buying and long queues across the country. According to the Road Transport Association, as many as 100,000 truck drivers have been lost.

One reason is Brexit: since then, stricter entry rules prevent the influx of skilled workers. As a result, there were, among other things, gaps in the supermarket shelves. Maderson emphasized that there was enough fuel in the country. However, it is still in stations and refineries and therefore out of reach of gas stations and drivers.