Britain puts army on standby as fuel pumps run dry
- Military tanker drivers would be deployed if needed, the government said, as queues formed and tempers frayed at petrol stations
- Issues with fuel delivery arose from a shortage of lorry drivers due to Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic, which saw many foreign truckers leave Britain
Britain on Monday put the army on standby to help with the ongoing fuel crisis as fears over tanker driver shortages led to panic buying, leaving many of the country’s pumps dry.
“Limited number of military tanker drivers to be put on a state of readiness and deployed if necessary to further stabilise fuel supply chain,” the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said in a statement issued late on Monday.
Desperate motorists queued up at fuel pumps across Britain, draining tanks, fraying tempers and prompting calls for the government to use emergency powers to give priority access to health care and other essential workers.
The government says a lack of tanker drivers to deliver fuel and unprecedented demand is behind the crisis.
The military drivers will receive specialised training before deploying if the crisis does not ease in the coming days.
