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Shell drivers keep up fuel strike Fuel strike begins to hit supply
(about 1 hour later)
A strike by hundreds of tanker drivers working for Shell is continuing to disrupt the delivery of fuel to petrol stations across Britain. A strike by hundreds of Shell tanker drivers has begun to hit fuel supplies in parts of England and Scotland.
The fuel industry reported higher than usual demand on the second day of the four-day stoppage over pay, but said there were few signs of panic buying. Demand was up 25% entering the strike's second day, although only just over 1% of petrol stations have closed because of shortages, the government says.
Shell said its contingency plans had so far worked well, but warned that the situation may change over the weekend. BBC News website readers have reported supply problems in Leicester, Cambridge, the Wirral, Cornwall, Stoke-on-Trent and parts of Scotland.
About 100 vehicles on the M6 and 50 on the M56 have begun a go-slow protest. Go-slow fuel protests have taken place on the M6, M56 and in the New Forest.
Outside of Merseyside, mid-Berkshire and some places on the south coast and south-west of England...it's actually been busy but not anywhere near what we'll call panic buying Ray HollowayPetrol Retailers' Association class="" href="/1/hi/england/7452385.stm">Lorry convoy in M6 fuel protest class="" href="/1/hi/england/hampshire/7454488.stm">Tractors in fuel protest go-slow class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4954&edition=1">Can you fill up in your area? During the day of action over fuel, 100 vehicles set off on the M6 under police escort from Lymm Services at Warrington, Cheshire, to Carnforth in Lancashire, as part of separate demonstrations over rising prices.
The protesters set off under police escort from Lymm Services at Warrington, Cheshire, to Carnforth, 60 miles north in Lancashire, and from north Wales along the A55 and the M56 towards Shell's Stanlow oil refinery in Cheshire. A further 50 vehicles departed from north Wales along the A55 and the M56 towards Shell's Stanlow oil refinery in Cheshire.
In the south of the country, a convoy of farmers and lorry drivers at Stoney Cross in Hampshire were also crawling towards junction 1 of the M27. Outside of Merseyside, mid-Berkshire and some places on the south coast and south-west of England...it's actually been busy but not anywhere near what we'll call panic buying Ray HollowayPetrol Retailers' Association class="" href="/1/hi/england/7452385.stm">Lorry convoy in M6 fuel protest class="" href="/1/hi/england/hampshire/7454488.stm">Tractors in fuel protest go-slow class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4954&edition=1">Send us your comments
Drivers have warned their employers they may strike again next weekend. In the south of the country, a convoy of farmers and lorry drivers at Stoney Cross in Hampshire also crawled towards junction 1 of the M27.
Shell said its sales remained high but were not at extreme levels. It also said there was no evidence of panic buying, only a "handful" of stations have actually run out and that they were continuing to monitor the situation. Shell earlier said that, although its sales remained high on the second day of the strike, they were not at extreme levels. It also said there was no evidence of panic buying, with only a "handful" of stations actually running out.
Deliveries continuing The company added that its contingency plans had so far worked well, but warned that the situation may change over the next two days.
A spokesman for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform said demand for fuel at forecourts was up 30% on Friday and that supply was tightest in south west and north west England and central Scotland. Shell drivers have warned their employers they may strike again next weekend.
South east England appeared to be running normally, he added. A spokesman for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform confirmed demand for fuel at forecourts had gone up by 25% between Friday and Saturday lunchtimes and supply was tightest in south west and north west England and central Scotland.
Major retailers have told the BBC that their deliveries have so far been largely unaffected:
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  • Sainsbury's said its Friday morning deliveries had not been disrupted and confirmed it had a good supply of fuel.
  • Texaco said it had seen a slight increase in fuel sales but that none of its forecourts had reported running out of supplies.
  • BP said it still had good stocks of fuel and that most of its drivers were working as normal.
  • Esso said its terminals were open and drivers were leaving to deliver fuel "as normal". It also said that its customers were currently buying fuel in normal amounts.
 At noon on Saturday, some 112 out of 8,900 petrol stations - just over 1% - had been forced to close, he added.
However, a number of petrol stations in the Strathspey area of Scotland, along the A9, are reporting that they have run out of diesel. Diesel problems
In particular, garages in Aviemore and Newtonmore have run out and one site has started rationing. A number of sites in Glasgow report that trade is brisk - and so far shortages are limited. A number of petrol stations in the Strathspey area of Scotland, along the A9, are reporting that they have run out of diesel.
The scene at Kingsbury oil depot In particular, garages in Aviemore and Newtonmore have run out and one site has started rationing. One service station manager in Ayr has also reported he has run out of diesel.
On the picket line: Drivers are looking for higher pay
A number of sites in Glasgow report that trade is brisk - but so far shortages are limited.
Members of the public have e-mailed the BBC News website to report fuel queues and some stations running out, in such areas as Leicester, Cambridge and the Wirral.Members of the public have e-mailed the BBC News website to report fuel queues and some stations running out, in such areas as Leicester, Cambridge and the Wirral.
There were also shortages reported in St Austell, Cornwall, and in Stoke-on-Trent.There were also shortages reported in St Austell, Cornwall, and in Stoke-on-Trent.
The Tesco station in Gowerton, near Swansea, has run out, but many stations in the south Wales area say they are currently well stocked.The Tesco station in Gowerton, near Swansea, has run out, but many stations in the south Wales area say they are currently well stocked.
'Patchy situation' However, major retailers have told the BBC that their deliveries have so far been largely unaffected:
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  • Sainsbury's said its Friday morning deliveries had not been disrupted and confirmed it had a good supply of fuel.
  • Texaco said it had seen a slight increase in fuel sales but that none of its forecourts had reported running out of supplies.
  • BP said it still had good stocks of fuel and that most of its drivers were working as normal.
  • Esso said its terminals were open and drivers were leaving to deliver fuel "as normal". It also said that its customers were currently buying fuel in normal amounts.
BBC correspondent Mark Simpson said there was no sign of panic buying in the north of the country.
People were buying fuel, but not in particularly large quantities in Cheshire or in Yorkshire, he added.
There have been reports of some motorists using Shell's V-Power fuel, intended for high performance cars, instead of unleaded petrol, wherever there have been shortages at filling stations.
Fuel protesters have organised a go-slow on the M6 motorway
Nick Vandervell, from the UK Petroleum Industry Association which represents Shell and the other major petrol suppliers, told BBC Five Live that some service stations had run out of fuel, but the situation was patchy.Nick Vandervell, from the UK Petroleum Industry Association which represents Shell and the other major petrol suppliers, told BBC Five Live that some service stations had run out of fuel, but the situation was patchy.
The scene at Kingsbury oil depot
"We have had reports that locally there are some problems, but essentially what our members' companies will be doing is working over the weekend to try and make sure that those sites are re-supplied and in some cases that may well involve re-supply from terminals or depots where there isn't picketing action.""We have had reports that locally there are some problems, but essentially what our members' companies will be doing is working over the weekend to try and make sure that those sites are re-supplied and in some cases that may well involve re-supply from terminals or depots where there isn't picketing action."
But Ray Holloway, of the Petrol Retailers' Association, told the BBC the situation was under control.But Ray Holloway, of the Petrol Retailers' Association, told the BBC the situation was under control.
"Outside of Merseyside, mid-Berkshire and some places on the south coast and south-west of England, generally speaking it's actually been busy but not anywhere near what we'll call panic buying," he said."Outside of Merseyside, mid-Berkshire and some places on the south coast and south-west of England, generally speaking it's actually been busy but not anywhere near what we'll call panic buying," he said.
Pay talksPay talks
Shell runs one in 10 of the country's fuel stations, but industry sources suggest its market share could be up to 17%.Shell runs one in 10 of the country's fuel stations, but industry sources suggest its market share could be up to 17%.
The striking drivers work for two companies, Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport, who are contracted to deliver fuel to those Shell forecourts.The striking drivers work for two companies, Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport, who are contracted to deliver fuel to those Shell forecourts.
Shell UK boss James Smith on the strikeShell UK boss James Smith on the strike
The industrial action began when pay talks broke down earlier this week.The industrial action began when pay talks broke down earlier this week.
Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport, say unions rejected a pay offer which would take the drivers' average salary to £41,500 by January 2009.Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport, say unions rejected a pay offer which would take the drivers' average salary to £41,500 by January 2009.
But a Unite union spokesman argued that the company's offer would have increased salaries from just under £32,000 to £36,000. He said the companies' £41,500 figure could only be reached if possible overtime was included.But a Unite union spokesman argued that the company's offer would have increased salaries from just under £32,000 to £36,000. He said the companies' £41,500 figure could only be reached if possible overtime was included.
The union representing them has renewed its calls for Shell, who outsourced tanker deliveries to external firms, to get involved in the negotiations to try and resolve the dispute.The union representing them has renewed its calls for Shell, who outsourced tanker deliveries to external firms, to get involved in the negotiations to try and resolve the dispute.
A number of tanker drivers working for other petrol retailers have refused to cross the picket lines at oil depots.A number of tanker drivers working for other petrol retailers have refused to cross the picket lines at oil depots.