Fuel supply: Visas won't solve petrol supply issues - retailers

Retailers and hauliers say the government's plan to offer temporary visas to foreign lorry drivers will not be enough to solve supply chain issues.

The measures would not fix the "ultra-short term" problems caused by panic buying, the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) said.

Long queues have formed and pumps have closed at some filling stations.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has blamed the Road Haulage Association for triggering a "rush on petrol stations".

Earlier he told the BBC's Andrew Marr there was "plenty of fuel" and that he had checked with the six refineries and 47 storage centres in the country.

He blamed "irresponsible briefing" by the Royal Haulage Association (RHA) for triggering panic buying, after reports that someone from the group had selectively leaked comments about heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driver shortages at fuel firms.

RHA spokesman Rod McKenzie said it was "absolute nonsense" and that he had not been at the meeting where the issue was raised.

A shortage of lorry drivers has caused problems for a range of industries in recent months, from supermarkets to fast food chains.

In recent days, some fuel deliveries have been affected, leading to lengthy queues at some petrol stations.

On Saturday the government announced measures to give temporary visas, lasting until Christmas Eve, to 5,000 lorry drivers and 5,500 poultry workers in a bid to limit disruption in the build up to Christmas.

Other measures include sending nearly one million letters to drivers who hold an HGV licence - to encourage them back into the industry - as well as using Ministry of Defence examiners to increase testing capacity for those entering the industry.

Brian Madderson, chairman of the PRA which represents more than 5,000 petrol stations, told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend that while there is plenty of fuel in the country "it is in the wrong place for the motorist" - in terminals and the refineries.

He said: "Those measures introduced by the government this weekend are not ultra-short term.

"We might see benefits of them later in the autumn as the drivers come across and start to work. But in the very short-term this panic buying has caused really serious problems."

He said "between 50% and 90%" of the PRA's members had reported their forecourts were running dry and "those that aren't dry are partly dry and running out soon".

One of those who struggled to refill their car was Adrienne Kenny, from Cambridge, who needs to drive to Leeds for work on Monday.

She said she had tried three petrol stations on Saturday but "couldn't get diesel anywhere" before trying another six without success on Sunday, leading her to postpone her meeting.

The 5,000 temporary visas are being given to fuel tanker and food lorry drivers.

Mr Shapps said he did not want to "undercut" British workers by bringing in people from overseas but could not "stand by and watch while queues are forming".

The transport secretary said there was not a "dramatic shortage in drivers" for the fuel industry, with only "one, two, three hundred drivers" needed for distribution to petrol stations.

While the government's measures were welcomed by Logistics UK, the British Chambers of Commerce said the measures were the equivalent of "throwing a thimble of water on a bonfire", while the Road Haulage Association said the announcement "barely scratches the surface".

Supermarket Asda said it had put a £30 limit on fuel transactions but said that it had good levels of fuel supply.

Sainsbury's said it was experiencing "very high demand for fuel", while Morrisons said it was a "rapidly moving situation" and it was working hard to keep its pumps open.

Freight industry group Logistics UK estimates that the UK needs about 90,000 HGV drivers - with existing shortages made worse by the pandemic, tax changes, Brexit, an ageing workforce, and low wages and poor working conditions.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the situation showed a "complete lack of planning" from the government.

Asked if he would bring in 100,000 foreign drivers, Sir Keir said: "We have to issue enough visas to cover the number of drivers that we need."

Recruitment for additional short-term HGV drivers and poultry workers will begin in October, with the visas valid until Christmas Eve.

Poultry workers have also been included in the temporary visa scheme and turkey farmer Kate Martin has warned supermarkets could run out of birds before Christmas.

She said there were fewer turkeys being produced because because the big processors "know they will not get them processed".