Lorry driver's anger at man filling up jerry cans at Gloucestershire petrol station
A lorry driver has spoken out in frustration after spotting a motorist loading their car with jerry cans full of fuel as issues with panic-buying petrol continue.
Petrol stations across the country, including many in the West Country, have experienced massive queues amid concerns over a shortage of fuel and drivers to deliver it.
Some forecourts have been forced to shut down after running out of fuel due to customers flocking to fill up vehicles.
Pumps in Gloucestershire have been similarly affected, with queues filing out of a Gloucester petrol station pictured over the weekend stretching back onto the road.
A lorry driver from Gloucestershire shared a photo of a motorist loading up a vehicle with jerry cans that they had filled with fuel at the Shell garage in Eastington, saying the behaviour "makes [him] angry".
He also said there is no shortage of drivers but instead an issue with drivers not want to work for "companies who treat you badly and pay poor money".
He said: "This is why we are low on fuel. They had to go in and pay for the first lot to then fill the jerry cans up! It's really irritating.
"I am a truck driver and there is no shortage of drivers, believe me! There's a shortage of drivers who want to work for the companies who treat you badly and pay poor money.
"You know what it's not just frustrating, it makes me angry."I mean during the pandemic we couldn't get food, drink, shower, use a toilet etc because we were too high risk - now everybody wants us!"
The panic was initially attributed to a shortage of HGV drivers to deliver fuel, and has seen the government consider temporary visas to foreign drivers to overcome the shortfall, as well as refusing to rule out the Army being brought in to help drive oil tankers.
However, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps called the fuel shortage a “manufactured situation” created by a road haulage association and said the panicked buying of fuel was causing the biggest problem to fuel supplies.
Speaking to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips On Sunday programme, the Cabinet minister said: “We need to ensure that people are reassured now that this rather manufactured situation has been created, because there’s enough petrol in the country.”
He further stated the panic-buying that has been seen across the country in recent days needed to be curbed, encouraging people to "be sensible" and only fill up as they normally would.
He said: "The good news is there is plenty of fuel, the bad news is if everyone carries on buying it when they don’t need it then we will continue to have queues.
"We just appeal to people to be sensible, fill up when you normally would. We’ve got this big package in place today in order to help alleviate the pressure and we ask people to do their part."