Is there a petrol shortage?

DRIVERS are being urged not to stockpile or panic buy petrol amid rising fears of a nationwide fuel shortage.

Worried drivers have been rushing out to fill up their tanks and stockpile cans in case the pumps run dry.

Industry experts have said there is no shortage of petrol, but some forecourts have been forced to close because of a lorry driver shortage.

Others have imposed a £30 limit at the pumps to keep British drivers moving.

Boris Johnson has agreed to temporarily loosen immigration rules so foreign HGV drivers can work in Britain to help with the crisis.

Temporary foreign visas will be fast-tracked to solve the supply chain issues that retailers are warning could ruin Christmas.

As industry bosses reveal the chaos could last another week, we explain everything you need to know about the 'fuel shortage'.

Is there a fuel shortage?

There is no actual shortage of petrol or diesel in the UK.

Some petrol stations are experiencing a shortage in supplies due to a lack of HGV drivers to deliver it to forecourts.

This has led to huge queues across the country, and even some scraps at the pumps.

Drivers are being urged not to panic or stockpile fuel as demand is still only at 92 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, according to the latest data.

The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) said that means there should be enough stock at refineries and delivery terminals throughout the UK. 

Gordon Balmer from the PRA said: "Cases of complete forecourt stock-outs have been rare so the resilience of retail fuels is not in question, which is good news for motorists."

And Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on September 26 there is “no shortage of fuel” in Britain and “people should be sensible” and fill up only when they need to. 

🔵 Read our petrol crisis live blog for live updates on the crisis

Why is there a driver shortage?

While there is plenty of fuel, there are not enough HGV drivers to transport it.

Experts estimate the nation faces a shortfall of 100,000 drivers.

This has been caused by a “perfect storm” of veteran drivers leaving the profession, a lack of new drivers training during the coronavirus pandemic, some workers returning to EU countries due to Brexit, and a backlog in driver tests.

Gordon Balmer, from the Petrol Retailers Association, said: "Like many industries, the retail fuels sector is under supply pressure from a lack of trained HGV drivers."

Over the summer, The Sun launched a campaign to help recruit thousands of HGV drivers.

Motorists are wanted to help ease Britain's lorry driver shortage and help put the wheels in motion for a new life on the road.

Who is affected?

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has insisted only a handful of petrol stations have closed due to the fuel supply crisis.

The list of those temporarily shut down keeps changing as forecourts reopen once new deliveries are made.

But the good news is that the majority of petrol stations should have some fuel available as full closures are limited.

Major supermarkets including Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's have all said they are not facing fuel shortages, despite the increasing demand.

And BP said that it had closed just 20 of its 1,200 petrol stations because fuel supplies had dried up, and between 50 and 100 sites had lost at least one grade of fuel.

However, up to 90 per cent of independent service stations outside of motorways are now dry, according to trade body the Petrol Retailers Association, which represents around 5,500 independent outlets.

One of the biggest forecourt operators has also placed a £30 maximum at all of its pumps to keep drivers on the road.

EG Group runs petrol stations under well-known brand names such as BP, Esso, Shell and Texaco.

The Sun has compiled a full list of locations operating the £30 limit.

Despite insistence there is no fuel crisis, Boris Johnson is reportedly set to consider emergency plans to deploy the army to drive fuel tankers.

Has this happened before?

The last time the UK experienced serious fuel shortages was in 2000 when protests over rising prices led to many forecourts running dry.

Farmers and lorry drivers blockaded refineries meaning fuel could not
be transported to petrol stations.

Petrol retailers began rationing their remaining supplies as panicked motorists tried to stockpile.

Schools closed, the NHS was cast into an emergency state, and Royal Mail said it only had enough fuel for one more day of deliveries.

Where can I get fuel today?

Drivers who don't urgently need to fill up are urged to steer clear of petrol stations.

However, if you do need to make a trip to the pump, it is worth checking local reports to find out which stations near you are operating as normal.

You may need to visit several stations to find the fuel you need, but deliveries will continue to be made to maintain supplies and keep cars running.

Ensure you check individual station opening times, as these vary across the country.

And also remember that it may be necessary to drive slightly further than normal in order to fill up.

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