Images and videos posted online show the extent of the petrol crisis that has gripped parts of the United Kingdom. "It’s like a Mad Max out there", wrote one user, referring to a dystopian movie where the world has plunged into chaos following the exhaustion of natural resources, with people fighting for commodities.
The turmoil started after oil and gas company BP announced that it had closed some of its petrol stations across the country. The government was quick to issue a statement to "carry on as normal", but the plea fell on deaf ears, as motorists rushed in a desperate bid to stock up on petrol.
The turmoil started after oil and gas company BP announced that it had closed some of its petrol stations across the country. The government was quick to issue a statement to "carry on as normal", but the plea fell on deaf ears, as motorists rushed in a desperate bid to stock up on petrol.
The news led to panic, with people starting to fill jerry cans and anything else that can store fuel with petrol.
The more people started stockpiling fuel, the longer the queues became.
Endless lines were reported in different parts of England and Wales.
Some drivers who were happy to find a fuel station without queues were disappointed to learn that it had already run out of petrol.
Massive queues ground parts of the country to a standstill.
Raymond Cohen, who recently got sick, told the Daily Mail that he had missed a doctor’s appointment because the road was completely blocked by vehicles standing in line to petrol stations.
In some parts of the country, police had to be called in order to manage queues and prevent the blockage of roads.
Panic buying led to petrol stations setting limits on the amount of fuel one can buy.
In some cases, individuals couldn’t keep their emotions under control…
Who is to Blame?
The news has caused a stir on social media, with users expressing concern about Britain’s future.
Others tried to find someone to blame for the crisis, with many noting that motorists themselves were responsible for creating the chaos.
Others blamed the government and the media.
Still others pointed the finger at Brexit.
Many users who had rushed to petrol stations defended their actions by saying that due to the shortage of fuel, they were unable to drive to work.
As mentioned earlier, the crisis occurred due to a shortage of heavy goods vehicle drivers, which was caused by delays in training and testing due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Financial Times writes that the situation has made the Prime Minister Boris Johnson government make a U-turn on its immigration system, which had been tightened following Brexit.
According to the outlet, the government of Boris Johnson is eyeing an option of giving temporary visas to 5,000 foreign workers.
According to the outlet, the government of Boris Johnson is eyeing an option of giving temporary visas to 5,000 foreign workers.
"The PM indicated he would rather take the short-term hit on immigration as a trade off for not messing up Christmas", one source told the newspaper.
According to the Daily Mail, this number will not be enough to stop the crisis, as the United Kingdom is short of 90,000 drivers.