BP to ration fuel amid driver shortages – CityAM : CityAM

BP has announced fuel will be rationed as the shortage of heavy goods vehicle drivers drags on the oil giant’s petrol and diesel supplies.

At a government meeting last Thursday, BP told officials that last the company’s ability to transport fuel from refineries to its network of forecourts was faltering. Fuel will now be rationed to prevent supplies from running out altogether.

BP’s head of UK retail Hanna Hofer said it was important the Government understood the “urgency of the situation”, which she described as “bad, very bad”, according to ITV News.

Ms Hofer said BP had “two-thirds of normal forecourt stock levels required for smooth operations” and the level is “declining rapidly”.

Hofer warned fuel will be restocked less often “very soon,” while Motorways will be prioritised and restocked as normal.

The heavy goods vehicle sector has been struggling with recruitment in recent months due to a combination of the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit reducing the number of available drivers.

The exodus of some 500,000 EU workers creating chronic shortages amongst road transport drivers, where European nationals previously made up 11 per cent. Job openings for transport drivers up by 68 per cent in June compared to pre-pandemic levels according to an IFS study.

Driver shortages have already hit supermarkets, which are running out of food, and has slowed down bin collection services.

Calls from supermarkets, waste collection groups and local councils for the government to add HGV drivers to the UK’s skills shortage jobs list, which would allow EU workers to fill the shortfall, were investigated but not implemented following pressure from the Home Office.

BP is said to have asked the Government for similar support temporarily.

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