Fuel fears: What you need to know about fuel disruption in the North East

A number of petrol stations in the North East have seen long queues forming outside - with some temporarily closed - amid concerns about fuel distribution.

But pressure on petrol stations is beginning to ease, the transport secretary has said.

Grant Shapps told broadcasters "there are now the first very tentative signs of stabilisation in forecourt storage which won’t be reflected in the queues as yet".

Despite this, army tanker drivers remain on standby to deliver fuel if necessary.

The government continues to urge drivers not to panic buy petrol - as do voices from the many services that would be unable to function if the pumps run dry.

Health

Daft as a Brush Cancer Patient Care is a charity that transports cancer patients to and from hospital.

They cover Northumberland, North and South Tyneside, Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and surrounding areas.

But if they are unable to fill up their tanks, patients may either be left stranded at hospital or, worse, at home - possibly missing their crucial appointments.

Founder Brian Burnie says his fleet has already been hit by the shortage, with one pump already turning away a driver at the forecourt.

He pleads with members of the public not to panic buy.

Taxi drivers

  • Gregg Easteal speaks with taxi drivers outside Darlington train station.

Commuting

Key workers and transport services are not the only ones who have been affected. Many have simply been unable to commute into their shared work spaces.

Matthew Donnachie, who works at a streaming and technology firm in Sunderland, has been forced to stay at home.

He lives with his partner in a remote pit village in County Durham and both of their cars are running on empty.

The only petrol station near to their village ran out of fuel at the start of the weekend. The next nearest filling station is 15 miles away.

The pair spent Saturday and Sunday driving around, trying and failing to fill-up. Matthew says being trapped at home is ''the last thing they need'' after 15 months away from the office. He has important work commitments on Monday that make WFH inconvenient. 

Here is what you need to know about the fears around fuel disruption in the North East:

  • Why are petrol stations closing?

Due to growing difficulties surrounding the transport of fuel, BP told the government last Thursday it would restrict deliveries of petrol and diesel to ensure continuity of supply.

Ms Hofer told the government this will mean running 80% of services levels to 90% of BP’s forecourts and that most locations, as a result, will not be restocked for one-and-a-half days a week.

But she said forecourts on motorways will be prioritised and will be restocked as normal.

Ms Hofer said every week the company is experiencing “tens” of “stock outs” at the 1,200 sites it supplies. When this happens forecourts are coned off and temporarily closed.

  • Why are there supply issues?

The issues with transporting fuel to petrol stations are caused by the ongoing shortage of HGV drivers.

BP doesn’t employ any lorry drivers directly, it outsources deliveries to Hoyer, an independent haulier.

BP has approximately 45 drivers coming through in training but the company is also experiencing high rates of attrition. In the week beginning September 6, ten drivers joined and six left.

Transport secretary Mr Shapps denied that Brexit was the culprit in the UK’s shortage of lorry drivers, arguing that the split from the European Union has helped the government react.

Nearly 400 petrol stations across England have introduced a £30 limit on fuel due to high customer demand.

What action is the government taking?

With long queues at filling stations continuing over the weekend, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced on Sunday he was temporarily suspending competition laws to allow the industry to share information so it can target areas where fuel supply is running low.

As well as the temporary visa scheme for HGV drivers, 5,500 poultry workers will be able to take up employment in the UK until Christmas Eve, in a bid to keep supermarket shelves stocked with turkeys and toys and counter delivery difficulties at petrol stations.

Other measures announced by the government in a bid to ease the shortage of HGV drivers include:

  • Plans to train 4,000 more lorry drivers through both a £10 million investment in skills camps and established adult education budgets, with some of those studying for HGV licences eligible to have their courses paid for by the state.

  • The Ministry of Defence is stepping in to provide examiners for lorry driving tests so that more can be carried out.

  • One million people with HGV licences who have left the industry will be contacted, asking them to return.

More on the lorry driver shortage: