Monday - June 16, 2008

Fuel shortages spread as tanker drivers’ strike, gas stations running dry.

Due to past and VERY bitter experiences with unions, I am not too quick to defend them and simply wish they’d go away.
But ... I’m not 100% certain they are to blame for this crises.  More research needed to refute or back up what I’m hearing, so will not make personal comments on this topic.

In our area, there are gas petrol stations with signs out saying that the pumps aren’t working. In other words, they haven’t anything to sell anymore as ppl topped up just before the strike or just after it started.  So far no lines as there isn’t anything to line up for in some areas.

Fuel shortages spread as tanker drivers’ strike enters fourth day
By David Millward, Transport Editor
Last Updated: 3:44PM BST 16/06/2008

Motorists are facing increasing fuel shortages with queuing spreading to several parts of the country as the strike by Shell’s tanker drivers entered its fourth day.

Fuel rationing was imposed by some garages in the South West, while drivers were facing difficulties filling up in parts of Wales, Worcestershire and in the South East.

Alarmingly Shell was not the only retailer to see its pumps running dry. Esso’s garage in Barry, south Wales, was completely out of fuel.

There were long queues reported at the service station at Junction 30 of the M5 near Exeter. 

According to the AA there was also confusion with some garages running out of diesel, while others were unable to supply unleaded petrol.

Elsewhere, a garage in the Gorton area of Manchester has raised prices by 14 pence a litre, charging motorists 129.9 pence for unleaded.

Its prices were on a par with half a dozen remote forecourts on Shetland and the Isle of Wight, which have traditionally charged far more than the national average.

“The impact of the strike is really being felt today particularly in Wales and the South West. In some localised areas motorists are struggling to find fuel,” said Edmund King, the AA’s president.

In the South West the fuel situation was described as “dire” by Ray Holloway, president of the Petrol Retailers Association.

This led several independent retailers to impose limits as low as £10 as they wait for new stocks to arrive, according to the UK Petroleum Industry Association.

“It’s been happening at rural areas,” said a spokesman. “Supplies have been getting quite low away from major centres like Truro.”

The problem had been caused by picketing at a Plymouth refinery which meant that supplies were not only being blocked to Shell forecourts, but other garages were getting embroiled in the dispute.

According to the latest Government figures 647 garages – including 249 Shell outlets – have either run dry completely or had to turn away motorists looking for diesel or petrol.

That number is expected to rise today as the strike by 641 drivers hits home.

Next weekend could be even worse unless a deal is reached between the drivers’ union, Unite and the Shell’s contractors: Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport.

The two sides have restarted talks raising hopes that the dispute, in which the union has submitted a 13 per cent pay claim, could be settled before the next four-day walkout on Friday.

If agreement is not reached, there are fears that next weekend could be even more difficult because of an overtime ban which will run between the walkouts.

http://tinyurl.com/3l82f3

Posted by Drew458     on 06/16/2008 at 11:04 AM   
Filed Under: • Economics • Oil, Alternative Energy, and Gas Prices • UK • Unions-Labor •  
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