The government is urging Brits “buy fuel as normal”, after the ongoing lorry driver shortage issue reached gas stations yesterday.
BP said a number of its filling stations are closed due to a lack of fuel available, while Esso owner
A Government spokeswoman said: “There is no shortage of fuel in the
The spokeswoman added: “We recognise the challenges facing industry and have already taken action to increase the supply of HGV drivers, including streamlining the process for new drivers and increasing the number of driving tests.”
“We continue to closely monitor labour supply and work with sector leaders to understand how we can best ease particular pinch points.”
‘Rapidly worsening crisis’
He went on: “Sticking plaster solutions are not going to solve it. Ministers must take decisive steps now to tackle the 90,000 driver shortfall.”
BP told the Government in a meeting last Thursday that the company’s ability to transport fuel from refineries to its network of forecourts was faltering.
BP’s head of
She added that BP had “two-thirds of normal forecourt stock levels required for smooth operations” and the level is “declining rapidly”.
Meanwhile, an
A
Shortage of staff
The HGV sector has been struggling with recruitment in recent months with a combination of the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit reducing the number of available drivers.
With test centres shut and many HGV drivers from the EU returning home during the pandemic, it has created a shortage of qualified drivers.
The issue has already hit supermarkets, with shelves half full and grocers forced to increase salaries and introduce signing on bonuses to fill gaps.
It has spread to waste collection services, with some councils cancelling bin collections as drivers have taken more lucrative jobs elsewhere.
Calls from
BP is said to have asked the Government for similar support temporarily.
He recommended that motorists keep enough fuel in the tank to reach alternative filling stations in the “rare instance” that fuel is not available at the first one they visit.
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