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Petrol Stations Limit Sales To £30 Because Of HGV Driver Shortage

Petrol Stations Limit Sales To £30 Because Of HGV Driver Shortage

HGV drivers are in short supply and long queues have been seen outside some petrol stations as drivers rush to fill up.

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

Around 400 petrol stations in the UK are to impose a £30 limit on the amount of fuel that people can buy in an attempt to ensure that everyone has a 'fair chance to refuel' amidst the ongoing shortage of HGV drivers.

The EG Group, which owns 389 filling stations across the UK, said that 'unprecedented customer demand' has led them to limit the amount of petrol per customer, so as to give everyone a fair crack at the pump.

A statement from the company explained: "Due to the current unprecedented customer demand for fuel and associated supply challenges we have taken the decision to introduce a limit of £30 per customer on all of our grades of fuel.

"This excludes HGV drivers and emergency services due to their vital role at this time."

Alamy

"This is a company decision to ensure all our customers have a fair chance to refuel and to enable our sites to carry on running smoothly.

"We kindly ask everyone visiting our sites to treat our colleagues, supply chain partners and customers with respect during these very challenging times.

"All of EG Group's UK sites remain open and operational to serve customers."

Fears of a fuel crisis gripping the UK have seen long queues outside some petrol stations, as well as some completely running out of fuel altogether.

BP confirmed that around 20 of their 1,200 petrol stations were closed because they didn't have any fuel, and between 50 and 100 stations had at least one fuel missing.

A 'small number' of Tesco stations have also been affected by the shortages, according to Esso owner Exxonmobil, that operates Tesco filling stations.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has called upon drivers not to rush out to panic buy petrol.

He said on Friday that drivers should 'carry on as normal'.

The Tory MP told Sky News: "The advice would be to carry on as normal, and that is what BP is saying as well."

Alamy

The UK is currently looking at temporary measures that can be put in place to tackle the shortage of HGV drivers, including relaxing immigration rules to allow foreign drivers into the country.

Downing Street said that any measures brought into place would be 'very strictly time-limited'.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said: "We have ample fuel stocks in this country and the public should be reassured there are no shortages.

"But like countries around the world, we are suffering from a temporary Covid-related shortage of drivers needed to move supplies around the country.

"We're looking at temporary measures to avoid any immediate problems, but any measures we introduce will be very strictly time-limited.

"We are moving to a high-wage, high-skilled economy and businesses will need to adapt with more investment in recruitment and training to provide long-term resilience."

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: UK News, Cars