UK suspends competition law to tackle petrol panic buying as drivers rush to stations to fill up amid lorry shortages
THE government has torn up competition laws in a bid to get fuel delivered to locations hardest hit by shortages sparked by panic buying and a lack of HGV drivers.
Up to 85 per cent of all service stations outside of motorways are now dry as Brits scrambled to fill up their motors.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng overnight announced the government is suspending the laws to make it easier for oil firms to target areas across the country most in need.
Ministers are also considering calling in the army to transport fuel supplies as the crisis escalated.
Following crunch talks with leading fuel industry bosses, Mr Kwarteng said: "We have long-standing contingency plans in place to work with industry so that fuel supplies can be maintained and deliveries can still be made in the event of serious disruption.
"While there has always been and continues to be plenty of fuel at refineries and terminals, we are aware that there have been some issues with supply chains.
It comes as...
- Petrol supplies have been plundered with industry figures revealing 85% of stations have run out of fuel
- Soldiers could be called in to help deliver fuel tankers as the PM mulls calling in the army
- Competition laws have been suspended in an attempt to curb panic buying
- Brawls have broken out across forecourts - including dramatic scenes between moped drivers
- The UK’s second-biggest oil refinery faces collapse over a £223million VAT payment
- An ambulance crashed into traffic waiting for petrol while rushing to an emergency
- Grant Shapps blamed hauliers for the chaotic scenes
"This is why we will enact the Downstream Oil Protocol to ensure industry can share vital information and work together more effectively to ensure disruption is minimised.";
Fears of a petrol shortage are being exacerbated by a shortage of HVG drivers, which is hitting fuel distribution.
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson could scramble hundreds of soldiers to drive tankers under an emergency plan he's expected to consider today,
Yesterday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps refused to deny the military would be drafted to help with deliveries.
When asked, Mr Shapps told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “We’ll do whatever’s required”.
Mr Shapps has urged motorists not to panic buy as he stressed there is no fuel shortage amid chaotic scenes on forecourts.
🔵 Read our petrol crisis live blog for live updates on the crisis
Despite pleas for drivers to "be sensible" violence has erupted at petrol station forecourts as drivers clashed at the pumps - turning on each other in shocking brawls.
Mr Shapps said: "It’s not like we don’t have fuel in the country.
"We do need to just ensure people are filling up when they need to fill up, rather than thinking I’d better go and fill up now just in case I need it next week or the week after.”
Trade body the Petrol Retailers Association, which represents around 5,500 independent outlets, said 50 to 90 per cent of its service stations had run out of fuel.
Chairman Brian Madderson told the BBC the shortages were down to "panic buying, pure and simple"
In a bid to ease the crisis, Mr Shapps has approved temporary visas for 5,000 overseas HGV drivers to help ease the crisis.
But he admitted on Sunday that the lorry driver shortage could last "years" despite government plans to train 4,000 more homegrown lorry drivers.
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And retail and haulier bosses have warned the government their plans to ease the driver shortage would fail to prevent empty shop shelves at Christmas.
