Sign in Subscribe
Natural gas

UK Faces "Winter of Discontent" as Petrol Station Closures and HGV Driver Shortage Spiral Out of Control

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The UK is on the brink of a perfect storm as a combination of a severe HGV driver shortage and rising fuel prices has led to warnings of a "winter of discontent". Petrol station closures and stock shortages have become a daily occurrence, with BP and Tesco Alliance forecourts among those affected. The crisis has been exacerbated by the UK's post-Brexit immigration policy, which has made it difficult to recruit European Union drivers to fill the gap.

Key Takeaways:

  • BP has closed a "handful" of its petrol stations due to fuel shortages, while Esso owner ExxonMobil has also reported issues at a "small number" of its Tesco Alliance forecourts.
  • The UK Government's post-Brexit immigration policy has been criticized for making it difficult to recruit European Union drivers, leading to a sharp decline in HGV drivers on British roads.
  • The HGV sector is short of 100,000 drivers, according to Rod McKenzie of the Road Haulage Association trade body, which has led to stock outs and shortages across the country.
  • A combination of factors, including Brexit, the pandemic, and pay and conditions problems in the industry, have contributed to the shortage of qualified HGV drivers.
  • Motorists and shoppers have been urged not to panic buy fuel and goods, with the Petrol Retailers Association advising motorists to keep enough fuel in the tank to reach alternative filling stations.
  • The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has suggested that adding HGV drivers to the skilled worker list for immigration purposes may not solve the problem, although he has not ruled out this option.
  • A "very short-term" measure to alleviate the shortage has been suggested by the Road Haulage Association, including allowing drivers onto the shortage occupation list and introducing seasonal visas for foreign drivers.

Statistics:

  • 100,000: The estimated number of HGV drivers short in the UK, according to Rod McKenzie of the Road Haulage Association.
  • 200: The number of Tesco Alliance retail sites affected by ExxonMobil, according to an ExxonMobil spokesman.
  • Two-thirds: The level of forecourt stock required for smooth operations, according to BP's head of UK retail, Hanna Hofer.
  • 1 million: The estimated number of lorry drivers currently available in the UK, according to an International Road Transport Union (IRU) survey.

Sources:

  • https://www.scotsman.com/news/bp-closes-filling-stations-as-hgv-driver-shortage-hits-deliveries-3394308
  • https://www.scotsman.com/topic/exxonmobil
  • https://www.scotsman.com/topic/tesco
  • https://www.scotsman.com/news/uk-news
  • https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/cars/hgv-driving-tests-streamlined-to-tackle-shortage-of-lorry-drivers-3380586
  • https://www.scotsman.com/news/transport
  • https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics
  • https://www.rha.uk.net/
  • https://www.bbc.co.uk/news
  • https://www.itv.com/
  • https://www.shell.com/

Read more