UK govt mobilises 150 army tanker drivers to alleviate fuel crisis

Motorists queue for fuel at East Barnet Esso in London

The UK government has mobilised 150 military tanker drivers to help alleviate the supply gridlock at petrol stations caused by Britons panic buying.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng on Wednesday confirmed that drivers around the country are queuing again for fuel, despite claims from Prime Minister Boris Johnson that the situation was improving.

"I think in the next couple of days, people will see some soldiers driving the tanker fleet. The last few days have been difficult. We’ve seen large queues but I think the situation is stabilising, we’re getting petrol into the forecourts. I think we’re going to see our way through this," Kwarteng said.

Fears are now mounting that Britain's already critical supply-chain problems could worsen in the weeks leading up to the crucial Christmas trading period.

By the early morning rush hour there were already long queues of cars in and around London and on the busy M25 motorway circling the capital. Social media has carried footage of fights breaking out as tempers fray at petrol stations.

Britain left the EU single market at the start of this year, which stopped haulage companies from recruiting drivers in the bloc. To tackle the driver shortage, the government has said it will issue temporary visas to 5,000 foreign drivers, a measure it had previously ruled out on ideological grounds.

European truck drivers have suggested that takeup could be low, given applicants would have little chance of finding short-term accommodation, the poor state of facilities for truckers while on the road and low pay.