Petrol row: Shame on you! Selfish panic buyers force ambulance to wait in huge queue

Industry sources said that disruption could carry on for weeks, even if panic buying simmers down, due to the time it would take to restock petrol stations, according to The Times. One

source said BP could be forced to keep tackling issues throughout next month. In an attempt to reassure the public yesterday, Boris Johnson said: "I would just stress that on the forecourts

the situation is stabilising and people should be confident and just go back to their business in the normal way."

Mr Johnson’s comments come as he prepares to send in the army to drive fuel tankers to petrol stations while new HGV drivers are trained up.

Up to 300 military troops could be deployed to British streets to calm the chaos in the coming weeks.

All military drivers are qualified to drive HGVs, however, they will need additional training to learn how to fill petrol stations with fuel.

The assistance will come as more fighting broke out at petrol forecourts around the country yesterday, with drivers throwing punches and pulling knives in the long queues.

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Ambulances are being forced to wait in lines for petrol despite fulfilling an essential public service as the fuel crisis rages on.

Earlier today, Boris Johnson backed away from introducing new rules which would prioritise essential workers.

Asked if a plan to prioritise key workers was being considered, the prime minister said: "I understand people saying that, but with the situation now stabilising, with things getting better

on the forecourt, the best thing is that... we stabilise it in the normal way."

Speaking at the annual Labour Party Conference in Brighton today, Sir Keir Starmer said: "This government can't keep the fuel flowing, it can't keep the shelves stocked and you've seen what

happens when Boris Johnson wants more money - he goes straight for the wallets of working people. 

"If you go outside and walk along the seafront, it won't be long before you come to a petrol station which has no fuel. Level up? You can't even fill up.

"Doesn't that just tell you everything about this government?

"Ignoring the problem, blaming someone else, then coming up with a half-baked solution.

"A tank of fuel already costs £10 more than it did at the start of the year.

"Gas and electricity bills up, gaps on the supermarket shelves."

Car journeys have plummeted since the fuel supply crisis began and this week reached their lowest level for a working Monday since July. 

Car traffic was at 91 percent of pre-pandemic levels on Monday, compared with 97 percent the previous week. 

This trend suggests some drivers have cut the time they spend on the road over fears they could run out of petrol or get stuck behind cars blocking the roads to enter forecourts. 

The RAC has said average prices could hit 143p per litre for petrol and 145p per litre for diesel in the next few weeks, even if the current crisis ends.

It's up from the current 135p per litre for petrol and 138p per litre for diesel. 

The highest average price ever recorded is 142p per litre in 2012. 

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has confirmed the Army is being rolled out this afternoon to help deal with the fuel crisis. 

The Reserve Tanker Fleet, which is driven by civilians, will help by making deliveries to forecourts. 

I can confirm the government's Reserve Tanker Fleet will be on the road this afternoon to boost deliveries of fuel to forecourts across Britain.The trucks are driven by civilians and will

provide additional logistical capacity to the fuel industry (1/2)

Boris Johnson has suggested key workers will not get priority at petrol stations because the fuel crisis is "stabilising". 

Asked if a plan to prioritise key workers was being considered, the prime minister said: "I understand people saying that, but with the situation now stabilising, with things getting better

on the forecourt, the best thing is that... we stabilise it in the normal way."

A worker has urged people queueing for petrol to allow blood bikes in ahead of them. 

"No fuel means that we can't carry out any urgently required help needed by the NHS," he added. 

If you see a Blood Bike in a queue for petrol PLEASE wave them through. No fuel means that we can't carry out any urgently required help needed by the NHS. Remember; We could be having the

ride of your life! #NHS #petrolcrisis #PetrolShortages @PetroleumMin pic.twitter.com/N4PjVG137m

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has confirmed the army will be called in after it was put on standby, but help won't be coming straight away. 

Mr Kwarteng said: "It takes a couple of days, sometimes a few days, to get troops on the ground. 

"We have decided to do that and I think in the next couple of days people will see some soldiers driving the tanker fleet." 

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has refused to rule out Christmas being affected by the current fuel shortages. 

Mr Kwarteng said: "I'm not guaranteeing anything, all I'm saying is I think the situation is stabilising."

"I think people realise that this will pass and we are very, very focused that we are getting enough drivers."

French broadcaster Loopsider has mocked Britain over the fall out from the petrol crisis. 

The station jibed "it's the English way!" over a compilation of fighting videos. 

The video comes a day after a number of alarming videos surfaced including one where a man appears to be holding a knife and another where an man is carried on the hood of a car during a

confrontation. 

Bastons \u00e0 l'anglaise. Ou quand la peur de manquer d'essence fait p\u00e9ter les plombs aux conducteurs britanniques. pic.twitter.com/boI6UP1b7N

Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, chair of Parliament's Defence Committee, has said the Government must act decisively and with leadership to regain control of the situation.

Mr Ellwood said: "The country wants to see the Government is in command and it has a clear cross-Whitehall plan. 

"We have gone from 1 percent fuel pump shortages to 90 percent so altering people's buying behaviour to prevent the panic buying and going back to previous purchasing patterns requires

regaining the confidence of the nation.

"I believe the army should not just be put on standby but in fact mobilised, be seen to be used. 

"That will help ease the pressure on shortages of course, it will return public confidence, and then on top of that there is the bigger issue about articulating a clear strategy to alleviate

the chronic shortage of lorry drivers."

Shadow Justice Secretary David Lammy has argued Boris Johnson must be held account for a litany of mistakes which could result in a second cancelled Christmas.

Speaking on Sky News, Mr Lammy said: "There has been long standing skills gaps in the haulage industry that haven't been fixed and those are issues that Boris Johnson will have to address in

the coming days.

"He is now saying that we're not going to have Christmas, he said that last year as well!

"So in the end we've got to hold Boris Johnson to account for the decisions that he and others have made and the promises they've made that have led us to this mess."

The shadow minister went on to say that it is not just shortages of lorry drivers, but also shortages of fruit pickers, shortages in building supplies which is leading to increasing costs.

Sir Keir Starmer has resisted blaming Brexit for the shortage of HGV drivers but did accept the problem was partly a consequence of leaving the European Union without adequate planning.

Speaking to Channel 5 News, the Labour leader said: "I wouldn't say that Brexit is to blame.

"What I would say is that it was inevitable as we exited the EU that we needed a plan to deal with drivers.

"That is obvious whether you voted Remain or voted Leave, and we took that decision years ago.

"And here we are with a shortage of drivers which was completely predictable and predicted - and the Government hasn't got a plan."

Boris Johnson has urged people to only fill up their tanks when they really need to after another day of panic buying chaos yesterday. 

He said: "I want to say, first of all, how much I sympathise with people who've been worried about their journeys, worried about whether they'll be able to use their cars in the normal way,

to see their loved ones or whatever it is, and I know how frustrating, infuriating it must have been to worry about shortage of petrol or fuel.

"We now are starting to see the situation improve; we're hearing from (the) industry that supplies are coming back on to the forecourt in the normal way.

"I would just stress that on the forecourts the situation is stabilising and people should be confident and just go back to their business in the normal way."

I'd urge everyone to go about their business in the normal way and fill up only when you really need it. pic.twitter.com/ZIDpq3SnZg

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