Transportinfo.org.uk - today's transport news in the uk, hand picked for you each morning

Saturday, 25 September 2021

BBC News

• Fuel shortage: Several petrol stations shut in WalesBut Tesco and Asda say they have good availability and can refill despite queues at some stations.
• Newspaper headlines: 'Petrol panic' as 'transport chaos spreads'Dominating Saturday's front pages is the ongoing supply chain crisis - and No 10's plans to tackle it.
• Petrol and driver shortages: 'The fuel is there, it can continue to flow'The transport secretary says there's no shortage of fuel and the public shouldn't rush to fill up tanks.
• Lorry driver shortage: Government working on temporary visa schemeA shortage of drivers has disrupted supply chains and fuel deliveries, with vehicles queuing for petrol.

Financial Times

• Johnson ready to relax UK visa regime to tackle driver shortageTemporary scheme for up to 10,000 foreign workers in transport and food in wake of fuel and supply disruption

The Guardian

• Supply chain crisis: Tories poised to U-turn on foreign worker visasBoris Johnson believed to have overruled ministers unwilling to compromise on post-Brexit immigration as forecourt queues mountMinisters are poised to agree an extraordinary post-Brexit U-turn that would allow foreign lorry drivers back into the UK to stave off shortages threatening fuel and food supplies.Boris Johnson ordered a rapid fix on Friday to prevent the crisis escalating. Ministers met in an attempt to agree a short-term visa scheme permitting potentially thousands more lorry drivers from abroad to come to the UK. Continue reading...

The Huffington Post

• UK Government Calmly Tells Motorists: 'There Is No Fuel Shortage!!!'
• Lorry Driver U-Turn? Boris Johnson Considers 'Temporary' Plan To Ease Shortages Amid Fuel Panic Buying

The Independent

• Visa scramble for HGV drivers is too late to stop Christmas disruption, government insiders warnMinisters scramble to solve crisis by easing visa requirements for lorry drivers

The Telegraph

• Friday evening UK news briefing: Boris Johnson poised to relax visa rules for lorry drivers

Times Online

• Big queues at petrol stations as drivers told no need to panic [Subscription]Large queues formed at forecourts around Scotland in spite of pleas to avoid panic buying and repeated assurances there was no shortage of fuel.
• Insulate Britain ordered to stop blockades at Dover port [Subscription]The High Court granted an interim injunction last night banning Insulate Britain activists from protesting on the A20 and other strategic routes to the Port of Dover.
• Panic buying at petrol stations: firm sets £30 limit [Subscription]Queues at the pumps despite appeal for calm

Mail Online

• Ministers hold urgent talks on HGV visas amid fuel panic buyingBoris Johnson is under pressure to deploy soldiers to drive petrol trucks as a major shortage of HGV drivers threatens to wreak havoc this winter.
• Supermarket food distributor goes BUST leaving 1,000 workers unemployed amid HGV driver chaosThe company had a number of major contracts for supermarkets and employed around 1,000 workers in warehousing and HGV driving roles and adds to concerns of severe food shortages.
• Boris Johnson set for U-turn on visas for 5,000 foreign truck drivers as panic-buying gridlocksIt came as Boris Johnson prepared to U-turn on demands to change visa rules to offer visas to 5,000 foreign lorry drivers in a bid to tackle the shortage and stop the economy grinding to a halt.

The Mirror

• Petrol stations announce £30 limit on fuel after 'unprecedented' customer demandTransport Secretary Grant Shapps has urged drivers not to panic buy petrol amid chaotic scenes at fuel stations across the country - but the plea has fallen on deaf ears

Sky News

• Temporary visas expected to allow foreign HGV drivers to help alleviate UK petrol queuesThe government is expected to clear the way for a visa change that would allow thousands of foreign lorry drivers to work in the UK.

Birmingham Post

• 'Just days left to avoid Christmas shortages', retailers warn as HGV driver shortage goes onTransport Secretary insists Brexit not to blame for driver numbers

Bolton News

• AA issue statement to drivers over petrol station queues at Asda, Tesco and moreBP revealed on Thursday that it has been forced to close a number of petrol stations across the UK amid the ongoing shortage of HGV drivers.
• Bolton: Petrol shortages hit as UK impacted by forecourt closuresPETROL shortages have hit Bolton while forecourts all across the country have been impacted by a shortage of lorry diver.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Pictures show chaos at North Wales petrol stations as scramble for fuel sees some forecourts closeIndustry leaders are warning motorists not to panic amid busy scenes across the region
• Sainsbury's petrol station among many to close amid surge in demand for fuel by panicked driversThere has been chaotic scenes at forecourts across the country as motorists fear petrol and diesel shortages

London Evening Standard

• Protesters banned from blocking A20 and Port of Dover after High Court rulingThe order was granted on Friday after fresh action by Insulate Britain.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• City transport chief wants 'speedy resolution' to Newcastle bridge closures sagaLabour councillor Ged Bell, who is responsible for transport matters at the city council, says he wants to deliver a verdict "sooner rather than later"

Northern Echo

• Tesco CANCELS all charges at Trinity Square Gateshead after gridlockA SUPERMARKET chain will cancel all charges after shoppers were left trapped in a car park after scenes of

The York Press

• Average speed cameras may be set for York and North Yorkshire roadsAVERAGE speed camera (ASC) checks could be introduced on rural roads and built-up areas across York and North Yorkshire, it has emerged.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• M6 shut again for bridge workDrivers are facing delays while a busy junction of the M6 if shut for a new bridge to be installed.

Other Regional Press

• Transport secretary urges drivers to carry on as normal as petrol station queues spottedThe Transport Secretary has tried to dissuade drivers from panic buying petrol, after BP was forced to close down a handful of its forecourts.
• Fuel panic buying plea from South Central Ambulance ServiceSouth Central ambulance service urged people to only buy fuel if they need to – after ambulance drivers had to join the queues at petrol stations.
• 'Don't be surprised if you can't get a cab home this weekend'The head of a taxi drivers' association says drivers face being out of work if the panic buying of fuel continues through the weekend.
• Car prices rising faster than earningsThe financial pressures on motorists continue as it is revealed the prices of some of our most popular cars are rising faster than wages.
• Petrol station firm EG announces £30 limit on fuel after 'unprecedented customer demand' over shortage fearsThe petrol station company owns several forecourts in Yorkshire and 389 across the UK

Other News Sources

• M27 closures: Hampshire smart motorway works continueA STRETCH of busy motorway will be closed this weekend.
• Shortage of UK lorry drivers critical, says Road Haulage AssociationWe spoke to Rod McKenzie from the Road Haulage Association and began by asking him how critical the situation is right now.
• Panic buying almost causes 'punch up' as hundreds queue for fuelFRANTIC motorists eager to fill up on fuel almost came to blows yesterday as hundreds queued for petrol amid a national shortage.