- Title: French transporters' strike prompts fuel shortage around Paris
- Date: 30th May 2017
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 30, 2017) (REUTERS) QUEUE AT TOTAL PETROL STATION SIGN SHOWING PETROL PRICES SCREEN ON PETROL DISPENSER SHOWING NO PETROL LEFT CARS QUEUING (SOUNDBITE) (French) JOSEPH FROM PARIS WAITING FOR PETROL, SAYING: "Oh yes, the day is hard, because I've done various rounds, various stations, and I've found nothing. I believe I'm at my sixth station here, and there is no petrol. There is no petrol. But seeing as I've run dry, I'm going to wait. I have no choice." RED "NO PETROL" SYMBOL IN CAR CARS QUEUING (SOUNDBITE) (French) EDITH FROM PARIS WAITING FOR PETROL, SAYING: "I've tried the pumps and there was no petrol. As I know that there is in this one, and that I will be taking the 118 (road) and I don't know where there will be one after, I prefer to stop here, even if that is creating a huge traffic jam on the ring road, because if it is jammed, it is solely due to that. There are people who are a bit annoyed, which is a bit of a shame because what can we do." BIG TRAFFIC JAM BECAUSE OF PETROL WAIT (SOUNDBITE) (French) JOELLE FROM PARIS WAITING FOR PETROL, SAYING: "It will be complicated if we are not refuelled in the next few days, there you have it." VEHICLES WAITING SIGN FOR PETROL PRICES TURNED BLANK "ESSO" PETROL STATION PEOPLE CHECKING FOR PETROL ON MACHINES
- Embargoed: 13th June 2017 16:27
- Keywords: French petrol stations dry strike drivers Paris queues
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016J1770N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A four-day strike by transporters of hazardous materials in France has hit fuel distribution across the country, with more than 40 petrol stations running dry in the capital region, said oil company Total and oil sector lobby Ufip.
The drivers, affiliated to the CGT trade union, started the strike on May 26 to demand wage increases and other work benefits.
A spokeswoman for Total said 40 of the company's 340 petrol stations in the Paris region had run out of fuel on Tuesday (May 30), adding that work had slowed down at three fuel depots where the striking drivers are carrying out a blockade.
Long queues stacked up at several petrol stations as motorists, fearing shortages, lined up to fill their tanks.
A spokeswoman for Ufip said that although the situation was under control for the moment, panic buying by consumers could spark wide-spread shortages.
France Info radio said 257 petrol stations across France, out of about 12,000, were partially out of fuel, while 132 others were completely dry by 0845 GMT on Tuesday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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