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Is petrol back to normal? When the fuel crisis looks set to end

5 October 2021, 14:26

The petrol crisis across the country has caused huge queues at petrol stations. Picture: PA

By Zoe Adams

Petrol supplies have caused problems all over the UK in recent weeks - so when will petrol be back to normal? Here’s the latest news on the current fuel crisis.

Petrol shortages have caused long queues and panic all over the country as a shortage of drivers and a high demand for petrol have left many forecourts dry.

After weeks of the fuel crisis, with Boris Johnson calling in the army to help deliver petrol to critical areas, many are asking when we can expect petrol stations to be back to normal?

Talking about the situation recently, the Prime Minister said: “You need to take all possible precautions but the supplies are getting in, they are getting to the forecourts, but people just need to be going about their business in the normal way."

So with many still struggling to fill up their tanks, and with the South East said to be “critical”, here’s when it’s likely the petrol struggles will end and how the UK is planning to ease the struggle.

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When is petrol expected to be back to normal?

Fuel crisis: Many stations have been caused to close due to high demand and lack of petrol delivery drivers. Picture: PA

The most recent figures from the Petrol Retailers Association say there has been a “distinct improvement” across the country’s petrol stations.

They carried out a survey of 1,000 stations and found 68% of those had both petrol and diesel available. Only 16% had no fuel at all.

At the beginning of the petrol crisis, industry experts warned it could take up to a month for things to return back to normal and have said the “worst is behind us”.

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What is being done to help the fuel crisis?

The UK have made adjustments to visas and laws to help the current fuel crisis. Picture: PA

To help with the shortage of deliveries, the army has been drafted in to help fuel deliveries. They will be focusing on the hardest-hit areas such as London and South-East England.

The government have also offered short-term visas for overseas drivers to help improve the shortage of drivers, however, Boris Johnson has confirmed only 127 EU fuel drivers have applied for the scheme so far.

Other measures to help bring petrol supplies back to normal are a suspension of competition law between oil firms and the process for getting a HGV driver licence will be sped up.

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