- Title: Motorist fills fuel tank with jerry can, dash cam shows 500m-long queue
- Date: 28th September 2021
- Summary: BRITISH NEWSPAPER HEADLINES ON FUEL CRISIS FRONT PAGE OF THE DAILY MIRROR, READING (English): "Let all key workers fill up first" FRONT PAGE OF THE I, READING (English): "Army called up to tackle UK's fuel crisis" FRONT PAGE OF THE FINANCIAL TIMES, READING (English): "Fuel buying frenzy puts health services at risk, doctors warn" FRONT PAGE OF THE SUN, READING (English): "Queue what? Drivers confused by petrol U-turns" VARIOUS OF FRONT PAGE OF THE DAILY TELEGRAPH ON PLAN TO PRIORITISE KEY WORKERS
- Embargoed: 12th October 2021 13:33
- Keywords: Fuel shortage cars queuing fuel crisis fuel stations motorists panic buying petrol stations trucker shortage
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002EWMVY2V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Britain's transport minister pleaded with motorists on Tuesday (September 28) to refrain from filling up old water bottles with fuel at gas stations after panic buying left pumps dry across major cities and prompted the government to put the army on standby.
British drivers hunted for hours or sat snarled in queues to fill their tanks; dozens of forecourts were closed with signs saying they had no petrol or diesel, Reuters reporters said.
A Reuters dash cam captured one queue stretching 500 metres outside a fuel station in London.
A post-Brexit shortage of truck drivers, exacerbated by a halt to truck-driving-license testing during COVID lockdowns and people leaving the haulage industry, has sown chaos through supply chains, raising the spectre of shortages and price rises in the run up to Christmas.
Britain put a limited number of military tanker drivers on a state of readiness to be deployed to deliver fuel if necessary.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said there were some hints the situation was easing as reserves at some gas stations had been replenished.
Fights broke out at some English petrol stations as drivers jostled for fuel and pictures on social media showed some people filling up old water bottles with fuel.
There have also been growing calls for medics, healthcare staff and other essential workers to be given priority to fill their cars to keep hospitals and social care services running.
An air of chaos has gripped the world's fifth largest economy in recent weeks as the shortage of truckers strained supply chains and a spike in European wholesale natural gas prices tipped energy companies into bankruptcy.
(Production: Ben Makori) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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