Armed forces could deliver fuel as BP starts rationing petrol & Tesco shuts forecourts amid trucker shortage

SOLDIERS could be called upon to drive tankers under emergency Government plans.

It comes as BP and Tesco have been forced to close a small number of petrol stations because of a shortage of drivers preventing supplies getting to forecourts.

BP even warned that it was considering rationing supplies, due to the ongoing lorry driver shortage.

Ministers are said to be discussing placing servicemen on standby to drive petrol tankers.

has been told contingency plans, called Operation Escalin, would go into action if the situation gets worse.

The supply issues came as Hoyer, one of the UK’s largest fuel logistics companies, revealed it was “struggling to meet deliveries”.

It cannot find enough tanker drivers to make fuel deliveries. They are typically 20 short of the 400-450 a day needed.

The Road Haulage Association says the UK lacks 100,000 HGV drivers.

Speaking to the BBC this morning, the boss of the industry body Rod McKenzie said: “More drivers leaving the profession every week, than joining us.”

One petrol station manager said there is an issue “but it’s not an issue with our suppliers – there’s plenty of fuel out there”.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps insisted it is only “a handful of petrol stations affected” and that drivers should “carry on as normal”

Hanna Hofer, BP’s head of UK retail, told a government meeting last week the situation was “bad, very bad”. 

The company said up to 100 of its forecourts were short of at least one grade of fuel. It has started rationing petrol deliveries.

Several have been forced to close entirely due to problems with supplies.

BP, which has 1,200 sites across the UK, is prioritising getting deliveries to motorway service stations, major trunk roads and sites with the largest demand and seeking to minimise the duration of “stock outs”.

A small number of Tesco petrol stations are also closed.

There have been reports of Tesco petrol stations closing or running out of fuel in Dorset, the Isle of Wight and Devon.

Two out of 500 Tesco-operated sites were affected yesterday – both of which are expecting fuel deliveries shortly.

ExxonMobil, which operates Esso, confirmed a “small number” of its 200 forecourts with a Tesco Express on site were affected.

Esso is responsible for supplying fuel on those sites.

A spokesperson said: “We are working closely with all parties in our distribution network to optimise supplies and minimise any inconvenience to customers.

A Tesco spokesperson added: “We have good availability of fuel, with deliveries arriving at our petrol filling stations across the UK every day”

Rival supermarkets Morrisons and Asda are not currently having any issues with fuel supply.

Sainsbury’s also confirmed there were no current issues but said it is “closely monitoring the situation and working closely with our supplier to maintain fuel supply”

But Downing Street told people to “not panic” and to continue to buy fuel “as normal”.

A No10 spokesman said: “We obviously recognise the challenges faced by the industry and we’re taking steps to support them.

“We acknowledge there are issues facing many industries across the UK, and not just in terms of HGV drivers.”

The crisis comes on top of families facing soaring energy bills and empty shelves at supermarkets.

Tesco said gaps on store shelves will get “ten times worse” by Christmas.

The boss of the 50-venue City Pub Group warned that prices will rise after a surge in running costs.

And a million customers of two failed energy firms await new suppliers.

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