Fuel crisis: Army put on standby to drive fuel tankers

Military tanker drivers will be deployed if the fuel supply chain comes under further pressure as a result of the HGV driver shortage, says the Government.

Panic buying caused by the closure of a handful of petrol stations last week, when deliveries were unable to be made due to the driver shortage, brought the sector to its knees over the weekend.

[Driver shortage crisis under the spotlight at Fleet & Mobility Live]

The Government announced a raft of measures yesterday (Monday, September 27) in an effort to plug the shortfall in HGV drivers, estimated by the Road Haulage Association (RHA) to be around 100,000.

It followed changes to the HGV driving test, which aim to make it easier for the industry to recruit new drivers.

However, in an effort to alleviate the impact on petrol stations, it has put the military on standby to step in and make fuel deliveries if the situation worsens, with drivers receiving specialised training before being deployed.

Defence secretary Ben Wallace said: “The men and women of our Armed Forces stand ready to alleviate the transport pressures where they are felt most. That is why I have authorised their increased preparedness so they are ready to respond if needed.”

"We have taken the additional step of asking the army to help plug the gap," Grant Shapps, DfT

The Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) request was issued by business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng on Monday.

He said: “While the fuel industry expects demand will return to its normal levels in the coming days, it’s right that we take this sensible, precautionary step.

“The UK continues to have strong supplies of fuel, however we are aware of supply chain issues at fuel station forecourts and are taking steps to ease these as a matter of priority.

“If required, the deployment of military personnel will provide the supply chain with additional capacity as a temporary measure to help ease pressures caused by spikes in localised demand for fuel.”

Transport secretary Grant Shapps authorised an extension to ADR driver licences, which allow drivers to transport goods, such as fuel.

This will apply to licences expiring between September 27 and December 31, 2021, and extend their validity until January 31, 2022.

Ordinarily ADR licences are valid for up to five years, with holders having to undertake refresher training and pass an exam, which takes three days, in the final year of validity as a requirement of renewal.

Shapps said: “Even though the current network of tanker drivers is capable of delivering all the fuel we need – we have taken the additional step of asking the army to help plug the gap, whilst new HGV drivers come on stream thanks to all the other measures we’ve already taken.

“Extending ADR licences will further help ease any pressures on fuel drivers by removing the need for refresher training courses and ensuring they can keep providing their vital service on our roads.”

The announcement follows a joint statement issued by the fuel industry confirming that fuel supplies at UK refineries and terminals remain high as well as encouraging the public to continue to purchase fuel as normal.

Signatories included BP, Shell, Esso Petroleum/ExxonMobil, Wincanton, Certas Energy UK, Hoyer Petrolog UK, Greenergy, Fuels Transport & Logistics; Downstream Fuel; and Suckling Transport.

Over the weekend the Government enacted the Downstream Oil Protocol to relax competition rules to make it easier for industry to share information.

This, it says, will help the sector to prioritise the delivery of fuel to the parts of the country and strategic locations that are most in need.

Driver shortage crisis under the spotlight at Fleet & Mobility Live

Logistics UK and Driver Require will explore ways in which the UK can address the current HGV driver shortage crisis as part of an in-depth session at this year's Fleet & Mobility Live.

Chris Yarsley, Logistics UK’s policy manager for Wales, Midlands and South West, will give a presentation looking at some of the ways the Government is being engaged on policy to help remove some of the barriers to progress.

Yarsley said: “We’re working with the Government across multiple departments, including the Department for Transport (DfT), Department for Education (DfE) and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to look at how policy can address the driver shortage.

“This includes boosting apprenticeships and access to funding there, as well as introducing short term visas to attract European drivers to help address the shortage.

“There are even things to do with infrastructure and facilities for lorry drivers that can make the profession less appealing, so there are many areas where policy can make a difference.”

Kieran Smith, chief executive at specialist HGV driver recruitment business Driver Require, will then reveal the latest results from the company’s Think Tank report.

Driver Require has been tracking the UK’s HGV driver shortage issue for a number of years prior to the Coronavirus outbreak and then more closely to investigate the way forward due to the impact of Covid-19 on the UK haulage sector.

The previous report in May had predicted that the unprecedented events of the last 12 months would lead to a driver shortage crisis in the coming months.

Smith said: “As a supplier to the haulage sector, Driver Require had already experienced a significant increase in demand and a scarcity of quality drivers – and agency driver pay rates are escalating at a frightening pace.

“As a temporary recruiter, we are at the coalface of the crisis but it will be our clients and ultimately businesses and consumers who rely on the movement of goods across the UK who will pay the greatest price.

“We need to raise the profile of this issue, dispel common perceptions and provide industry key influencers and decision makers the opportunity to act to secure the UK’s economic recovery.”

The full agenda for Fleet & Mobility Live is now available to view and registrations are open and free to fleet decision-makers.