BP says nearly a third of its UK gas stations are running empty

BRIGHTON, England, Sept.26 (Reuters) – BP (BP.L) said on Sunday nearly a third of its UK service stations were running out of the two main grades of fuel as panic buying forced the government suspend competition laws and allow companies to work together to alleviate shortages.

Queues of vehicles formed at gas stations for a third day in a row as motorists waited, some for hours, to refuel after oil companies reported that the lack of drivers was causing fuel problems. transport from refineries to forecourt.

Some operators have had to ration supplies and others to close gas stations.

“With the intense demand seen over the past two days, we estimate that around 30% of the sites in this network currently lack any of the major grades of fuel,” said BP, which operates 1,200 sites in Britain. , in a press release.

“We are working to restock as quickly as possible.”

The fuel panic comes as Britain faces several crises: a surge in international gas prices that are forcing energy companies to shut down, a related carbon dioxide shortage that threatens to derail gas production. meat and a truck driver shortage that is wreaking havoc with retailers and leaving a few shelves bare.

Anglo-Dutch oil group Shell (RDSa.L) said it had also seen an increase in demand for fuel.

In response, Business Minister Kwasi Kwarteng said he was suspending competition laws to allow companies to share information and coordinate their response.

“This step will allow the government to work constructively with fuel producers, suppliers, carriers and retailers to ensure that disruptions are minimized as much as possible,” the trade department said in a statement.

Transport Minister Grant Shapps had previously called for calm, saying the shortages were purely caused by panic buying and the situation would eventually resolve because the fuel could not be stored.

“There is a lot of fuel, there is no shortage of fuel in the country,” Shapps told Sky News.

“So the most important thing is actually that people go on as they normally would and fill their cars up as they normally would, then you won’t have any queues and you won’t have any queues either. shortage at the pump. “

After meeting with Kwarteng, industry figures, including representatives from Shell and Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N), said in a joint statement released by the commercial department that they were reassured and stressed that he there was no national fuel shortage.

‘MANUFACTURED SITUATION’

Earlier, Shapps said the shortage of truck drivers was due to COVID-19 disrupting the qualification process, preventing new workers from entering the market.

Others blamed Brexit and poor working conditions forcing foreign drivers out.

The government on Sunday announced a plan to issue temporary visas to 5,000 foreign truck drivers. Read more

But business leaders have warned that the government’s plan is a short-term solution and will not solve an acute labor shortage that threatens to severely disrupt fuel deliveries, including to retailers in the United States. Christmas is approaching.

Shapps called the fuel panic a “fabricated situation” and blamed it on an association of carriers.

“They are desperate to have more European drivers below British wages,” he said.

An Opinium poll published Sunday in the Observer newspaper found that 67% of voters believe the government has mismanaged the crisis. A majority of 68% said Brexit was partly to blame.

Opposition Labor leader Keir Starmer, speaking at his party’s annual conference in southern England, said ministers did not plan for labor shortages in following the 2016 Brexit vote and called for a bigger temporary visa program.

Reporting by William James and Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Diane Craft

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