UK NEWS

PETROL: WE'RE RUNNING OUT

CRISIS: Growing concerns about supplies continue

Saturday April 26,2008

By Louise Barnett Consumer Editor

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(14)

PETROL stations began running dry yesterday after the Government tried to reassure drivers about supplies – and instead started a panic.

Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks admitted he could not guarantee fuel would be available on every forecourt because of a strike at a refinery which will shut down almost half Britain’s North Sea oil output.

His “ill-conceived” comments immediately saw garages swamped with queues of motorists desperate to fill up.

The Lib Dems accused him of talking the country into a crisis. And the Countryside Alliance said he had inflamed an already intolerable situation, with drivers in rural areas at risk of being stranded.

The AA urged motorists to cut down their number of journeys, try walking to the office and even work one day a week from home to conserve supplies. The giant refinery at Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth was shut down last night ahead of a two-day strike by up to 1,200 workers over pensions.

Trying to reassure drivers that supplies would not run out, Mr Wicks admitted: “I cannot guarantee that every garage forecourt will have petrol at that precise moment. I hope the vast majority of people are sensible about this.

“They might have to be patient. People will have to be sensible and rational. There are short-term stock-outs occurring at some filling stations in Scotland, but the petrol industry is confident that they can continue to resupply from stocks and imports, even in the event of this strike going ahead.”

His comments were supported by Downing Street, which admitted the increased demand for petrol could cause problems. But Sarah Teather, Lib Dem business spokeswoman, said: “Malcolm Wicks’s comments were very ill-conceived.

“Ministers must be very careful not to end up talking the country into an avoidable fuel crisis.”

Jill Grieve, of the Countryside Alliance, also criticised the minister, saying: “Rural people are going to be put at a massive disadvantage and Mr Wicks’s words are unlikely to bring any consolation.

“Being told to be ‘sensible and rational’ when your livelihood is under threat is likely to inflame an already intolerable situation.”

Scotland saw the first signs of panic buying yesterday but soon there were queues outside garages in North-east England and reports of more in London and Berkshire.

At least one petrol station ran out of fuel and others reported they were close to empty.

Fearing an escalation of the crisis, dozens of drivers filled up jerry cans, while many garage owners brought in £10 and £20 limits per driver.

PETROL: WE'RE RUNNING OUT

26.04.08, 10:06pm

Is it any wonder when you run headlines like this? The media are making things much worse through similar headlines and scare mongering. There are 67 days of reserves, the strike lasts 2 days, the refinery will be shut 4 weeks. So, what is the problem? The problem is the media whipping up a frenzy to have something to report on.

• Posted by: Vymnto • Report Comment

RUNNING OUT OF RE-VAMPS!!

26.04.08, 9:26pm

Seems we aren't just running out of fuel - we're also running out of "Have your Say's" on contentious issues - namely government damaging issues -- so whats going on? selective re-vamping??

You can have your say on less contentious issues - but can't take the mick out of clowns currently running the country??

A sly dig at suppression of the masses???

• Posted by: DRAGONFLY • Report Comment

FUEL CRISIS LOVE BROWN!

26.04.08, 9:16pm

It surely is now absolutely clear, even to a blind man and his dog, that the Labour party do not know how to be successful in government! They have not got a clue! Time to get rid of this usless bunch of liars, cheats, and traitors! They have the dispicable gall to force everyone else in the country to accept peanuts as pay rises, then award themselves bloody thousands! Then they carry on cheating with expenses and lots of other perks! It is now time for a wake up call to all true Brits in this country, and reclaim our once, long ago great country. There is only one party that will do it. That is of course, the United Kingdom Independence Party. All it needs, is one little tick in a box on polling day, and the huge weight of the EU yoke will start to melt away.

• Posted by: peterthepainter • Report Comment

PETROL: WE'RE RUNNING OUT

26.04.08, 8:25pm

What a completely and utterly irresponsible headline for the Daily Express to carry. This has convinced everybody in the country that we are running out of fuel, regardless of where their fuel comes from. In North Wales we get fuel from Ellesmere Port which is not closed. So why was there an enormous queue at Llandudn Junction Tesco's today? Because of the Daily Express!! I hope someone in the industry takes you to task about this as there will now be a shortage of fuel in North Wales. Don't expect me to buy your paper anymore, and by the way, I walk to work.

• Posted by: JeanM1 • Report Comment

PETROL: WE'RE RUNNING OUT

26.04.08, 7:18pm

Fantastic piece of reporting why not create a fuel crisis to give yourselves something to report on.

• Posted by: Munch49 • Report Comment

THE CYPRUS PEOPLE.

26.04.08, 7:16pm

The folks who are fed up with it all and going to live in Cyprus....they have strikes and petrol problems there too, and economic problems, and crime.
They're probably not as good at whinging about it as we are.You might find you miss all the whinging and petrol strikes. I did when I lived abroad.
Why do 9 people out of ten come back?
You'll see the answer when you've been there a while.

• Posted by: stevewo • Report Comment