Media Hype Over Fuel Shortage Damaging the Livelihoods of Taxi and Private Hire Drivers
Queues at petrol stations are causing chaos on roads across the country. Panic buying continues across the UK despite there being more than enough fuel to go around. Forecourts across the country have had to close after running out of fuel. Some have sold several days’ worth of fuel in under an hour. Many taxi and private hire drivers are finding they cannot fill their tanks for work. Further impacting their earning potential after a dire year thanks to COVID-19.
Repeated government statements have stressed that there is plenty of fuel available in the UK. In a statement late yesterday, Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng said:
“While the fuel industry expects demand will return to its normal levels in the coming days, it’s right that we take this sensible, precautionary step.
“The UK continues to have strong supplies of fuel; however we are aware of supply chain issues at fuel station forecourts and are taking steps to ease these as a matter of priority. If required, the deployment of military personnel will provide the supply chain with additional capacity as a temporary measure to help ease pressures caused by spikes in localised demand for fuel
What is causing the supply chain issues?
The reason the UK is experiencing apparent fuel shortages is down to a shortage of HGV drivers rather than there not being enough fuel.
While many are blaming Brexit for the sluggish supply network in the UK at the moment, this is only one contributor to the wider HGV driver shortage. The coronavirus pandemic disrupted testing for thousands of drivers. The DVLA has reported that there are over 50,000 applications for licences awaiting processing.
This means that although there is enough to go around, fuel suppliers are struggling to get where it needs to be fast enough to meet the demand of those panic buying. The media have been blamed for blowing the issue out of proportion and causing this panic. If people had continued buying at their usual pace, there would have been no issue for the supply network.
What are industry reps saying?
Speaking to inews, Director of the National Private hire and Taxi Association, David Lawrie, said:
“There isn’t actually a real shortage of fuel, but a shortage is being created by the panic buying and people are filling their tanks up when they don’t actually need the fuel – and then some of them are actually booking taxis to take them places to preserve their own fuel.
“What they don’t seem to realise is that for taxi drivers, it is their living and if they can’t get fuel, they can’t work – and that has a huge knock-on effect on the public too.”
Research shows that taxi and private hire services are disproportionately used by the elderly, the disabled and other vulnerable demographics. If taxis are unable to get fuel, services for special needs schools will likely stop, and the elderly and housebound won’t be able to do their shopping or get to hospital appointments.
This is why some industry representatives are appealing to their local authorities to ensure that drivers have access to fuel in spite of the panic buying. General Secretary of Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA), Steve McNamara, said to members:
“Many of you will have seen reports of petrol stations running dry and an impending fuel shortage. Whilst the situation is likely being compounded by the media, leading to panic buying, we are seeing big queues at some stations, and it may well escalate.
“During the last major fuel shortage in 2000, the then Mayor, Ken Livingstone, and his deputy Dave Wetzel, had taxis placed on the emergency fuel supply list along with buses, emergency service vehicles etc in view of the vital role licensed taxis play in keeping London moving and providing a fully wheelchair accessible service.
“We have contacted TfL and City Hall to request confirmation that taxis (as an essential service) remain on the emergency fuel supply register from September 2000 and if this is not the case, we will be calling for this to be reinstated as a matter of urgency.”
What is UK Government doing?
The government have introduced a range of measures to try and ease the supply chain effecting petrol stations. These measures include:
Temporary visas until Christmas Eve for 5000 foreign fuel tanker and food lorry drivers.
Contacting nearly one million individuals who hold HGV licences to encourage them back to the industry
Suspended competition law for fuel suppliers so they can share information and resources.
Placed a limited number of military tanker drivers on standby to be deployed if necessary
Extensions to ADR driver licenses
Government representatives are optimistic that the issue will resolve itself shortly. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Steve Barclay, said:
“Thankfully, the measures we have put in place across government are working. People are beginning to return to their regular buying habits and pressure on the supply chain is easing.”
While they may be optimistic, it means little for the thousands of drivers struggling to find the fuel they need for work. It remains to be seen whether panic buyers will continue to cause problems for the rest of the nation.
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