# British army to start driving tankers as queues for fuel continue Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-09-29 Category: INVESTING Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/investing Meta Title: British Soldiers to Drive Tankers Amid Fuel Shortage Chaos Meta Description: Amid panic buying, British soldiers will begin driving tankers to address fuel shortages. Prime Minister Boris Johnson reassures public as queues persist. URL: https://financedigest.com/british-army-to-start-driving-tankers-as-queues-for-fuel-continuehtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2021-09-29t104024z1lynxmpeh8s0kjrtroptp4britain-truckers-1736837736320-compressed.jpg) By Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) -British soldiers will start driving tankers soon to replenish empty pumps as drivers queued again for fuel after days of shortages, despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying the situation was improving. Britain has been gripped by a rush of panic buying for almost a week that has left pumps dry across major cities, after oil companies warned they did not have enough tanker drivers to move petrol and diesel from refineries to filling stations. [Business minister](https://www.financedigest.com/a-uk-covid-lockdown-would-be-wrong-right-now-business-minister-says.html "A UK COVID lockdown would be wrong right now, business minister says") Kwasi Kwarteng said 150 soldiers had been mobilised, and would be driving tankers within a few days. “The last few days have been difficult, we’ve seen large queues. But I think the situation is stabilising, we’re getting petrol into the forecourts. I [think we’re going to see our way](https://www.financedigest.com/three-ways-that-2022-is-going-to-change-how-you-think-about-money.html "Three ways that 2022 is going to change how you think about money") through this,” Kwarteng said. He said the government’s reserve tanker fleet, which numbers 80 vehicles according to a 2019 assessment, would be operating by later in the day, driven by civilians, to help [deliver fuel](https://www.financedigest.com/how-partnerships-fuel-fintech-innovation-and-help-banks-deliver-a-better-customer-experience.html "How Partnerships Fuel Fintech Innovation and Help Banks Deliver a Better Customer Experience") across the country. Johnson has sought to quell concerns, [saying supplies were returning to normal while also urging people not to panic buy](https://www.financedigest.com/sega-sammy-says-it-is-considering-buying-angry-birds-maker-rovio.html "Sega Sammy says it is considering buying Angry Birds maker Rovio"). A shortage of around 100,000 drivers has sown chaos through [supply chains](https://www.financedigest.com/in-the-supply-chain-clean-data-is-the-fuel-of-the-future.html "In the supply chain, clean data is the fuel of the future") and raised the spectre of empty shelves and price increases at Christmas. NO GUARANTEE Asked if he could guarantee that there would not be problems in the run-up to the [busy retail](https://www.financedigest.com/it-outages-financially-cripple-retail-businesses.html "IT outages financially cripple retail businesses") period, Kwarteng said: “I’m not guaranteeing anything. All I’m saying is that, I think the situation is stabilising.” By the early morning rush hour there were already long queues of cars in and around [London and on the busy M25 orbital motorway circling the capital](https://www.financedigest.com/london-the-capital-of-cyber-crime-in-the-uk.html "London: the capital of cyber crime in the UK"). Signs were up at some sites [announcing no fuel](https://www.financedigest.com/honeywell-announces-new-ethanol-to-jet-fuel-technology.html "Honeywell announces new ethanol-to-jet fuel technology") was available. The gridlock has sparked calls for doctors, nurses and other [essential workers to be given priority access](https://www.financedigest.com/luxury-to-essential-latam-boosts-internet-access-in-pandemic.html "Luxury to essential: Latam boosts internet access in pandemic") to fuel, a move Johnson has resisted. Industry groups said the worst of the [shortages seemed to be in London](https://www.financedigest.com/one-in-three-london-startups-suffer-from-shortage-in-tech-talent.html "One in three London startups suffer from shortage in tech talent"), the southeast and other English cities. Fights have broken out as drivers jostled. The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), which represents independent retailers who account for about two-thirds of all the 8,380 UK filling stations, said on Tuesday 37% its [members’ stations](https://www.financedigest.com/latest-four-member-spacex-crew-docks-with-international-space-station.html "Latest four-member SpaceX crew docks with International Space Station") were out of fuel. The shortages have added to an air of chaos in the [world’s fifth-largest economy](https://www.financedigest.com/gas-price-surge-just-one-more-headwind-for-world-economy.html "Gas price surge, just one more headwind for world economy"), leaving gaps on supermarket shelves. A spike in [European wholesale natural gas prices has also tipped energy](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-forget-showering-its-eat-or-heat-for-shocked-europeans-hit-by-energy-crisis.html "Analysis-Forget showering, it’s eat or heat for shocked Europeans hit by energy crisis") companies into bankruptcy. Britain left the EU single [market at the start of this year](https://www.financedigest.com/the-next-upcoming-years-to-see-the-gastric-electric-stimulators-market-grow-kinetically.html "The Next Upcoming Years To See The Gastric Electric Stimulators Market Grow Kinetically"), preventing hauliers from recruiting drivers in the bloc. To tackle the shortage, the government has said it will issue temporary [visas to 5,000 foreign](https://www.financedigest.com/golden-sunshine-and-golden-visas-draw-wealthy-foreigners-from-far-and-wide-to-portuguese-property-market.html "Golden sunshine and golden visas draw wealthy foreigners from far and wide to Portuguese property market") drivers, a measure it had previously ruled out. What we want to do is make sure that we have all the preparations necessary to get through until Christmas and beyond, not just in supplying the petrol stations but all parts of our [supply chain,”](https://www.financedigest.com/mcdonalds-milkshakes-off-the-british-menu-after-supply-chain-issues-2.html "McDonald’s milkshakes off the British menu after supply chain issues") Johnson said. Hauliers, petrol stations and retailers say there are no [quick fixes](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-demands-quick-fix-from-u-s-of-green-subsidy-law.html "EU demands quick fix from U.S. of green subsidy law") as the shortfall of drivers is so acute, and transporting fuel demands training and licensing. [European drivers may also be reluctant to take up the visa offer](https://www.financedigest.com/factbox-european-companies-offer-one-off-bonuses-hike-pay-amid-cost-of-living-crisis.html "Factbox-European companies offer one-off bonuses, hike pay amid cost-of-living crisis"), which only lasts until Dec. 24. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Writing by Kate Holton; editing by Peter Graff and Mike Collett-White) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---