WOKINGHAM is seeing large queues at petrol stations in light of the HGV driver shortage.
Petrol stations have been seeing pumps start to run dry as drivers stock up.
In scenes similar to 2000, when farmers and truckers blocked access to oil depots in protest over the then high fuel prices, there is a rush on which in turn is causing filling stations to run out of fuel.
There are reports on social media of a queuing system in place at the BP garage on Shepherd’s Hill, with staff directing cars.
The garage in Finchampstead is expecting a delivery on Monday.
EG Group has introduced a £30 spending limit on all grades of fuel.
Queues were seen this morning of people trying to use the Shell station on Wokingham’s London Road, and video taken around 11pm last night shows drivers queuing from Finchampstead Road to get into the filling station at Tesco’s Wokingham store.
In June, the Road Hauliers Association wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson urging him to take action over the HGV driver shortage.
In the letter, RHA chief executive Richard Burnett warned there needed to be an additional 100,000 HGV drivers in the country to meet demands.
In recent weeks, there have been food shortages in supermarkets, McDonald’s ran out of milkshakes and some branches of Nando’s were unable to sell chicken, in addition to the current fuel problems, all caused by a shortage of drivers, not by lack of supply.
To help, the government is expected to announce tomorrow a scheme that will issue 5,000 temporary visas to allow drivers from across Europe to help out.
