Fuel Card News: Fuel panic buying leaves Fleet and HGV Drivers confused

Fleet Companies and HGV Drivers were left feeling uneasy today.

It comes after Downing Street was accused of sparking panic buying of Petrol / Diesel last night after urging motorists to fill up ahead of a potential fuel strike.

Forecourts across Britain have started to run dry this morning as motorists rush to the pumps ahead of a possible driver tanker strike.

It comes as a Government minister today suggested people should prepare for a fuel shortage by filling up any spare jerry cans – even though the strike hasn’t been called yet.

Around 2000 members of the Unite union are threatening to stop deliveries, possibly as early as next Tuesday, in a dispute over pay, conditions and safety.

Unite drivers supply fuel to 90per cent of the UK’s forecourts and the union said a strike could close up to 7900 petrol stations, including Shell and Esso garages as well as supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s,

Stocks would begin to run dry within 48 hours of any action.

Drivers have already been seen filling their cars up at petrol stations in Liverpool, Preston and Kent, while pumps ran dry at a petrol station in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

No strike dates have been set but there are fears the industrial action could coincide with the Easter getaway by millions. The Cabinet were yesterday briefed on plans to bring in the Army to keep pumps flowing.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude also condemned the industrial action warning that lives would be at stake if the strike goes ahead.

Queues at the pumps came despite strong warnings from motoring organisations not to panic buy fuel.

Speaking outside the Cabinet Office in Whitehall, where the Prime Minister will chair a meeting later on contingency plans, Mr Maude said there was no need for anyone to ‘rush’ to a petrol station.

But he advised people to fill up any spare jerry cans with petrol to prepare for the impact of any action, even though Unite hasn’t called any strikes yet.

In other news, Read how Low Emissions Fleet Vehicles were affected in the new Budget.

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