London-Sana
Nearly 90 percent of stations in major British cities ran out of fuel today after panic buying deepened a supply chain crisis.
Reuters reported that long queues of cars extended at gas stations across the country yesterday, despite the government's request that citizens stop buying out of panic, which led to supplies running out and forcing many stations to close.
Agency correspondents said: Most pumps and gas stations across British cities today are either closed or put up signs saying that fuel is not available.
An association that represents independent fuel distributors, who currently make up about 65 percent of all British distributors, said its members had reported that they were out of stock by 50 to 90 percent in some areas. In many parts of the country, we need some calm.”
A severe shortage of truck drivers following Britain's withdrawal from the European Union and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc across Britain's supply chains in everything from food to fuel, raising the prospect of disruption to the arrival of goods, price hikes in the lead-up to Christmas and a push up retail outlets. To warn that this could deal a major blow to the fifth largest economy in the world.
While British ministers insist that the country's exit from the European Union has nothing to do with the current crisis in drivers, the figures indicate that 25,000 drivers returned to Europe before the implementation of the withdrawal from the bloc.
Britain was unable to test 40,000 drivers due to measures imposed to combat Covid-19.
Yesterday, the British government announced a plan to issue temporary visas to 5,000 foreign drivers.
