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Health workers demand priority access to fuel amid panic buying in U.K.

By Shubhangi on Sep 28, 2021 | 03:38 AM IST

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Key Points:

·         Health workers and teachers demand priority access to fuel amid panic buying in the U.K.

·         Around 90% stations were dry in the country as of Monday.

·         Government puts military tanker drivers on standby as precautionary measure.

Amid panic buying of gasoline in the U.K., health care workers and teachers have demanded priority access of fuel to avoid hindrance in vital services.

According to the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), 90% of stations in the country were dry on Monday.

The shortage of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers in the U.K. has caused hindrance in deliveries which has led to shortage of goods and fuel.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Tuesday that the situation is now beginning to stabilize.

“A lot of petrol is now being transferred into people’s cars and there are now the first very tentative signs of stabilization in the forecourt storage which won’t be reflected in the queues as yet, but it’s the first time we’ve seen more petrol in the petrol stations itself,” he said, reported Sky News.

Government’s action on the crisis

 Government ministers in the country are constantly arguing that U.K. has strong fuel supplies despite people facing problems in accessing gas.

On Monday, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy confirmed that some military tanker drivers would be put on standby as a precautionary measure.

“While the fuel industry expects demand will return to its normal levels in the coming days, it’s right that we take this sensible, precautionary step,” Business Minister Kwasi Kwarteng said in a statement.

“If required, the deployment of military personnel will provide the supply chain with additional capacity as a temporary measure to help ease pressures caused by spikes in localized demand for fuel.”

On Monday, the government also announced that drivers with ADR licenses will be allowed to extend their licenses until January if they are expiring before the end of the year. ADR licenses authorize drivers to transport dangerous goods like fuel.

Many truck drivers are also set to be given temporary U.K. visas.

(With inputs from CNBC)

Picture Credits: Getty Images

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