Given the recent panic-buying of fuel, I'm interested in hearing how things our in your area. We know what things are looking like for Phil McCann in Stockport, but how are things looking for you.
There are two stations in my town. The Esso station looked to be fine at a glance, whilst the Sainsbury's has run out of diesel.
Fuel situation in your area
I live in a town of around 25,000 people with four petrol stations. They all had queues at 0600 according to Google Maps.
The Sainsbury's ran out yesterday and then received a delivery late afternoon/early evening. That stock was exhausted mid morning but they have since had another delivery. Some other stations ran out but all seem to have received deliveries since.
Sainsbury's put staff on to manage the queues. They implemented a one way system. Usually you can exit the petrol station either directly to the road or back to the supermarket but exit from the supermarket is only via the entrance. Instead the entrance to the site was no exit with the exit for the supermarket and petrol station via the station.
The Sainsbury's ran out yesterday and then received a delivery late afternoon/early evening. That stock was exhausted mid morning but they have since had another delivery. Some other stations ran out but all seem to have received deliveries since.
Sainsbury's put staff on to manage the queues. They implemented a one way system. Usually you can exit the petrol station either directly to the road or back to the supermarket but exit from the supermarket is only via the entrance. Instead the entrance to the site was no exit with the exit for the supermarket and petrol station via the station.
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Dr Lobster*
- Posts: 2116
- Joined: Sat 30 Aug, 2003 20.14
No diesel in any of the local stations, my wife’s car is petrol and she managed to fill up today after a short wait, just got lucky.
I have half a tank of diesel left, should last me to the end of the week, then I’m a bit buggered.
I have half a tank of diesel left, should last me to the end of the week, then I’m a bit buggered.
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scottishtv
- Posts: 755
- Joined: Thu 01 Apr, 2004 15.36
- Location: Edinburgh
Can't help but think back to 2012 when tanker lorry drivers were threatening to strike. Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude told Sky News, "When it makes sense, a bit of extra fuel in a jerry can in the garage is a sensible precaution to take."
Obviously that triggered panic-buying, someone got burned trying to decant fuel in their kitchen while the gas cooker was on (!), the Fire Brigade had to tell people not to store petrol in their homes, and Maude later claimed he didn't know how big a jerry can was...
Obviously that triggered panic-buying, someone got burned trying to decant fuel in their kitchen while the gas cooker was on (!), the Fire Brigade had to tell people not to store petrol in their homes, and Maude later claimed he didn't know how big a jerry can was...
I don’t have a car so it doesn’t massively impact me however we do use vehicles at work for 24/7 emergency response work.
Years ago we did away with our own centralised fuelling station for diesel and began relying on fuel cards. Yesterday everyone was instructed to fill the tanks on all vehicles - meaning queuing up with the masses to fill up a plethora of cars, vans and other random vehicles. A full tank generally lasts 36 hours of use depending on calls, miles traveled and how fast they’re driven.
I’m told of people queue cutting in North London around our vehicles and ambulances. Incidentally the London fire brigade didn’t do away with their own diesel pumps. Hopefully som measures can be put in place by the petrol stations to mitigate the panic buying; I’ve already seen some posts on Facebook about people kicking off about not being allowed more than £30 of fuel.
Years ago we did away with our own centralised fuelling station for diesel and began relying on fuel cards. Yesterday everyone was instructed to fill the tanks on all vehicles - meaning queuing up with the masses to fill up a plethora of cars, vans and other random vehicles. A full tank generally lasts 36 hours of use depending on calls, miles traveled and how fast they’re driven.
I’m told of people queue cutting in North London around our vehicles and ambulances. Incidentally the London fire brigade didn’t do away with their own diesel pumps. Hopefully som measures can be put in place by the petrol stations to mitigate the panic buying; I’ve already seen some posts on Facebook about people kicking off about not being allowed more than £30 of fuel.
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allwillbewell
- Posts: 93
- Joined: Tue 06 Apr, 2021 09.02
I think it is very suspicious and the panic appears possibly manufactured, not necessarily intentional but I guess people will use any excuse to be idiots. I think it is telling there over 1 million license holders in the UK who have left the industry, only 5000 or so current vacancies (hence the GOV this weekend announcing 5000 visas) yet however we are told there is a 100k shortage. Something doesn't add up and the skeptic in my thinks this is the industry trying to get cheap drivers who will take lower pay and worse conditions instead of dealing with the issue. I think this is the issue generally over all industries, workers over COVID have had time to look at their life, they have decided that they want better, and demand it. Companies don't want to pay and instead claim there is a shortage. What they mean is they can't find any mugs to do the job they want for such low pay and appalling conditions.
What I suspect will happen now, is that the industry will be forced to deal with the issue, or the GOV will cave and allow cheap labour in for good, possibly from outside the EU to try and save face. The EU anyway has its own issues with "shortages". From a customer point of view, if the industry does deal with the issue, that is less profit for them and higher prices for us. But it has to be sorted out.
Ros Atkins had a good video on the reasons for the shortage of drivers.
www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-58521211
And today one of the main refineries claims it cannot pay a large tax bill or will go bust. Very sudden, talk about exploit a situation (not a crisis yet)
What I suspect will happen now, is that the industry will be forced to deal with the issue, or the GOV will cave and allow cheap labour in for good, possibly from outside the EU to try and save face. The EU anyway has its own issues with "shortages". From a customer point of view, if the industry does deal with the issue, that is less profit for them and higher prices for us. But it has to be sorted out.
Ros Atkins had a good video on the reasons for the shortage of drivers.
www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-58521211
And today one of the main refineries claims it cannot pay a large tax bill or will go bust. Very sudden, talk about exploit a situation (not a crisis yet)
All views are my own