BP - We Have To Close Petrol Stations...

[SueEllen]

...due to shortage of HGV drivers.

Government says don't PANIC!

https://news.sky.com/story/bp-priori...plies-12415175

Motorists have been urged by the government to "shop for fuel as usual" after BP said it had closed some of its petrol stations due to supply issues.

The energy giant said tens of forecourts in its 1,200-strong network were experiencing shortages - blamed on the nationwide lack of HGV drivers - while rival Esso said a few of its sites were affected.

Tesco said two of the 500 petrol stations it operates were currently affected, describing the impact as minimal and ensuring that supply is replenished whenever this happens.

It is the latest in a series of supply chain issues being grappled with by ministers - after the separate issue of surging gas prices created a crisis in the energy sector and knock-on damage to carbon dioxide production, which has threatened to disrupt food processing.

A spokesman for the prime minister said the government acknowledged that there were "issues facing many industries across the UK, and not just in terms of HGV drivers".

He added that there was no shortage of fuel and that there was a "very resilient and robust supply chain".

[NotAllThere]

Cue queues on the forecourt, à la fuel strike of 1999.


Bit of a pain that one, as I was driving from Junction 27 to Junction 14 and back every day. Public transport was typically a 2-3 hour journey, and working from home wasn't available. On the way back when I had just enough fuel to get home, I saw South Mimms had fuel available, so was able to fill up. The day after, the fuel strike ended.

The petrol stations tried to limit fuel purchases to £10. They should have made it minimum £50.

[_V_]

[meanttobeworking]

BBC / Road Haulage Association says IR35 is one of the major causes of the shortage

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58673567

[Eirikur]

BBC / Road Haulage Association says IR35 is one of the major causes of the shortage

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58673567

I wonder how IR35 can have such a big impact if your hourly rate is £20 (probably more like 15) there surely is hardly any impact on your total nett tax position

[ladymuck]

I can't remember if it was in the slaver or the torygraph yesterday but the working conditions have gradually eroded such that it's simply no longer an attractive job any more. The likes of Tesco outsourced a lot of their fleet to Stobart who cut rates and benefits, sacked a load of people and then brought in cheaper labour from elsewhere who were happy to take peanuts.

[mattster]

I can't remember if it was in the slaver or the torygraph yesterday but the working conditions have gradually eroded such that it's simply no longer an attractive job any more. The likes of Tesco outsourced a lot of their fleet to Stobart who cut rates and benefits, sacked a load of people and then brought in cheaper labour from elsewhere who were happy to take peanuts.

This has been the business model of choice over the last couple of decades, but it isn't going to work anymore - which is a good thing. The issue I see coming up is that business is going to lobby hard for occupation in demand type immigration exemptions, which will everyone from HGV drivers to fruit pickers allowed back in. The problem is that the great swathes of the unwashed who voted for Brexit did so precisely because they were fed up with the race to the bottom in wages and working conditions that was facilitated by a limitless amount of cheap foreign labour. I was against the B word but having done it, government now needs to stick to their guns and let wages/conditions adjust such that locals want the jobs again - however painful in the short term.
One other point specifically relating to HGV drivers is that we have been told repeatedly that HGV driving will be automated out of existence within a decade, and it probably will - so who in their right mind would start a new career in it now?

[SueEllen]

I can't remember if it was in the slaver or the torygraph yesterday but the working conditions have gradually eroded such that it's simply no longer an attractive job any more. The likes of Tesco outsourced a lot of their fleet to Stobart who cut rates and benefits, sacked a load of people and then brought in cheaper labour from elsewhere who were happy to take peanuts.

Keep hearing HGV drivers on the radio saying that UK service stations are disgusting and expensive before they get onto the food. There as the ones in France and Germany are paradise by comparison.

[_V_]

What we are seeing in a way is a non unionised general strike. Workers are not turning up to work because pay and conditions have reached a point where inflation and general living costs mean they are better off either retiring early, living on benefits or returning to their birth countries.

Until companies make many jobs attractive again, we will see shortages everywhere.

If the Tories open the immigration flood gates I would not be surprised, this they prefer as it protects the ultra wealthy by increasing profits at the top at the expense of the bottom.

[ladymuck]

Keep hearing HGV drivers on the radio saying that UK service stations are disgusting and expensive before they get onto the food. There as the ones in France and Germany are paradise by comparison.

Ah yes, knew I'd forgotten something. That too was mentioned. Our service stations are grim, expensive, and spaced too far apart (much like refuge points on so-called 'smart' motorways). Your average car driver doesn't need to use them much but they're essential for HGV drivers.