[News] There's no need to panic buy petrol

[peterward]

Ditto... I have about 135 miles worth in the tank, I'm hoping sanity is restored Mon/Tues.

Go down to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for this to all blow over!

 

[KZNSeagull]

I think you'll find the numbers are 60,000 short in Germany and 100,000 short in the UK. As [MENTION=21158]Weststander[/MENTION] rightly pointed out, it's certainly a problem across Europe and solutions will need to be found, but starting at double the issue that Germany has means it's far more urgent for us.

I would imagine you are after the number of drivers that have gone home due to Brexit? 20k was the figure I heard today but that also included going home because of Covid. There has been a shortage of drivers for years apparently, but obviously not in the numbers we are seeing now. A lot of drivers left HGV driving to do local delivery driving instead during the pandemic.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I would imagine you are after the number of drivers that have gone home due to Brexit? 20k was the figure I heard today but that also included going home because of Covid. There has been a shortage of drivers for years apparently, but obviously not in the numbers we are seeing now. A lot of drivers left HGV driving to do local delivery driving instead during the pandemic.

Pre-Covid I believe there were 600,000 HGV Drivers working in the UK. There are now 100,000 less.

The three generally accepted reasons are drivers leaving the profession, lack of HGV tests during lockdown and Drivers leaving because of Brexit. Now I would have expected Germany to have had similar issues with drivers leaving the profession and HGV tests, but they've somehow ended up with half the shortage that we now have.

But whatever the reasons, replacing a sixth of the HGV force isn't going to happen quickly so whether the shortages hit supermarkets, restaurants, petrol stations, shops or rubbish collection, it isn't going away in the next few months, so better get used to it

 

[KZNSeagull]

Pre-Covid I believe there were 600,000 HGV Drivers working in the UK. There are now 100,000 less.

The three generally accepted reasons are drivers leaving the profession, lack of HGV tests during lockdown and Drivers leaving because of Brexit. Now I would have expected Germany to have had similar issues with drivers leaving the profession and HGV tests, but they've somehow ended up with half the shortage that we now have.

But whatever the reasons, replacing a sixth of the HGV force isn't going to happen quickly so whether the shortages hit supermarkets, restaurants, petrol stations, shops or rubbish collection, it isn't going away in the next few months, so better get used to it

4th reason: Covid - some left during Covid and are in no rush to return.

But yes, get used to it. Freight trains are part of the long term solution - a necessary and urgent infrastructure project imo.

 

[KeegansHairPiece]

 

[LamieRobertson]

If you're in Worthing and struggling, there's a tanker filling up BP in Findon right now.

I'm not sure which flavour of fuel they've got, or do they carry multiple?

They do tend to carry diesel and petrol

 

[Hugo Rune]

****ing hell!

Those thick selfish ****s on the A27 between Falmer and Lewes stationary with their hazards on, queuing in the slow lane for the slip road/petrol station.

Someone is going to get really hurt as traffic whizzes by them at 70mph.

 

[beorhthelm]

I would imagine you are after the number of drivers that have gone home due to Brexit? 20k was the figure I heard today but that also included going home because of Covid. There has been a shortage of drivers for years apparently, but obviously not in the numbers we are seeing now. A lot of drivers left HGV driving to do local delivery driving instead during the pandemic.

60k shortage reported in 2019. most industries have similar stories, they'd like more staff to take on new work, or general turnover. dont know about going to do local delivery, but my man in the industry says a lot wont work for the supermarkets because of fussy management and lack of perks.

 

[KZNSeagull]

60k shortage reported in 2019. most industries have similar stories, they'd like more staff to take on new work, or general turnover. dont know about going to do local delivery, but my man in the industry says a lot wont work for the supermarkets because of fussy management and lack of perks.

The local delivery thing I heard on the radio when this was last discussed about a month ago. Not surprised re the supermarkets - for many months now our main Tesco delivery to Bishop Auckland from Doncaster has been delivered by Eddie Stobart.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Pre-Covid I believe there were 600,000 HGV Drivers working in the UK. There are now 100,000 less.

The three generally accepted reasons are drivers leaving the profession, lack of HGV tests during lockdown and Drivers leaving because of Brexit. Now I would have expected Germany to have had similar issues with drivers leaving the profession and HGV tests, but they've somehow ended up with half the shortage that we now have.

But whatever the reasons, replacing a sixth of the HGV force isn't going to happen quickly so whether the shortages hit supermarkets, restaurants, petrol stations, shops or rubbish collection, it isn't going away in the next few months, so better get used to it

Waitrose seem to be dealing with the problem by raising wages. Is similar happening in Germany ? (genuine question). Seems Iceland are trying a different solution ie pleading their case in the press but perhaps preserving profit for shareholders ?

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www....s-architects-salaries-soar-amid-shortage.html

 

[Weststander]

Did they discuss any reasons why the UK shortage is double (population based) that of the Germans ?

Covered on C4 News (not by your archetypal anti-Tory C4 guest) by a transport expert.

40,000 HGV drivers have gone to back to the EU.


You might find GB News interesting at this moment. They’ve blundered by having big Remainer Charlie Mullins of Pimlico Plumbers on …. he just took apart Brexit politician ‘Belinda’ someone …. with £7B of lost trade and 10,000’s of HGV drivers lost. Suspect he won’t be invited back!

 

[Weststander]

To be fair that German expert also said there was no fuel shortages on German forecourts or empty shelves in German supermarkets.

I was fair. See my bullet point three.

 

[Baker lite]

Ah Brexit.

Mrs T tells me that all the petrol queuers (there's a words to not spell incorrectly ) were old white males, and there was a faint whiff of pork in the air

In the year 2021, it’s unbelievable that people are still being targeted because of the colour of their skin. Truly shocking.


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[Wrong-Direction]

****ing hell!

Those thick selfish ****s on the A27 between Falmer and Lewes stationary with their hazards on, queuing in the slow lane for the slip road/petrol station.

Someone is going to get really hurt as traffic whizzes by them at 70mph.

You're joking!? FFS I'm not looking forward to returning to work tomorrow

Sent from my SM-A600FN using Tapatalk

 

[jessiejames]

I have started another thread on this please read to get a lorry driver view.
It's a bit of a long rant but might help explain things.


http://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/show...w-of-driver-shortage-fuel-shortage-and-Brexit

 

[Weststander]

Waitrose seem to be dealing with the problem by raising wages. Is similar happening in Germany ? (genuine question). Seems Iceland are trying a different solution ie pleading their case in the press but perhaps preserving profit for shareholders ?

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www....s-architects-salaries-soar-amid-shortage.html

Covered on R4 tonight by head of the German logistics trade body. They are not filling HGV vacancies, 60,000’s short and growing, attempts at filling the roles by pay rises have failed, younger gen’s just don’t want to be HGV drivers.

 

[dazzer6666]

You're joking!? FFS I'm not looking forward to returning to work tomorrow

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Nope, there were queues on the 27 for the petrol stations both sides around the Newmarket pub this afternoon…………weren’t too long when I went past around 4 ish but naturally causing a bit of a traffic bottleneck

 

[Hugo Rune]

You're joking!? FFS I'm not looking forward to returning to work tomorrow

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Sadly not. Hopefully they’re not still doing it in the dark tonight.

 

[dsr-burnley]

That's actually a good idea. Pay at pump only (to speed it up) and min £30+ would cover the smallest cars from about 1/4 tank left.

Unenforceable. Will a garage be willing to refuse payment from a £20 purchaser, or to blacklist them for ever, or to syphon out the petrol? Or to check the fuel gauge before letting someone fill up?

It isn't really possible to "panic buy" fuel to a significant degree, unless you are going to have illegal amounts of fuel stored at home. You can only have one tankful in the car. It's not like toilet rolls when you can buy 6 months' supply for storage. In normal times the average petrol tank will be about 60% full. In "panic buying" times it can't really go above 90% full. If every private car owner suddenly decides to "panic buy" and fill up, that only makes about 3 days' total supply taken out of the system.

Business with their own tanks could make a difference as well, but I couldn't quantify that.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Solar panels work during daylight, not just direct sunlight.

But not very efficiently. My system was working at only 12.5% capacity at around 1pm yesterday because it was cloudy.