Fuel Panic Hits Petrol Stations in Hertfordshire

Scenes of long queues were seen at 11am this morning with staff out controlling the surge of drivers rushing to get fuel.

Tesco Extra at Jarman’s Park, Hemel Hempstead, which also had vehicles queuing all morning, closed at midday.

A member of staff at Hemel Hempstead said they expected a fuel delivery at 18:00 BST, “but there is no guarantee”.

Sainsbury’s shut at 2:45 when fuel tanker delivery came in.

One diver named Ben told of how every Petrol Station in the area had queues. “ASDA’s is crazy right now.  Get it while you can.

SHELL at dome roundabout

SHELL forecourt staff said all pumps were currently open and had fuel.  But people were panic buying.

Motorists ignore Grant Shapps saying customers should ‘carry on as normal’ at petrol stations and that only a ‘handful of stations’ have been affected by delivery issues.

A shortage of HGV delivery drivers is being blamed for the closure of some petrol stations which have not received fuel.

Meanwhile Ministers face more pressure to ease immigration rules as an emergency measure to encourage HGV drivers from overseas amid warnings that 100,000 more were needed across the industry.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps today hinted at the possibility, saying he would move ‘heaven and earth’ to tackle the ‘systemic issue’ of HGV driver shortages. Even if it means getting the soldiers to drive fuel tankers.

However, he said there would be “technicalities” as to whether military personnel could switch to driving civilian vehicles.

There are about 8,380 petrol stations in the UK, according to the Petrol Retailers Association.  About 1% of these are believed to be closed at the moment.

Watfordlondon reported on the 2012 petrol strike