Status: 10/02/2021 10:39 a.m.
Petrol and diesel remain in short supply at UK petrol stations. Now the military is supposed to help with the transport of fuel. But Great Britain is also trying to attract more truck drivers on its own roads in other ways.
The supply bottlenecks in the supply of fuel in Great Britain have been worsening for more than a week. From Monday, the British government wants to use the support of the army: soldiers are to supply petrol and diesel fuel stations.
According to the government, 200 soldiers will initially be deployed, around 100 of them as truck drivers. Prime Minister Boris Johnson had already announced at the beginning of the week that he wanted to involve the military in the supply crisis if the situation did not improve. According to the British Minister for Economic Affairs, Kwasi Kwarteng, a limited number of military tank truck drivers were put on standby days ago.
UK Defense Department driving examiners are also expected to temporarily train truck drivers. Retraining programs are intended to bring more employees into the logistics industry.
First the Brexit, then Corona
The massive bottlenecks in the fuel supply are not due to a lack of petrol and diesel. There is a shortage of thousands of truck drivers across the country who bring the fuel to the filling stations. In the meantime, according to the industry association PRA, up to 90 percent of petrol stations ran out of gas in some parts of the country – also because panic buying occurred within the population.
After the UK left the EU, many continental workers had left the UK. The corona pandemic exacerbated the staff shortage as the training of new drivers stalled. But it is not only in the logistics industry that there is a shortage of workers; there is also a shortage of staff in other areas, such as the livestock industry.
Great Britain makes exceptions when issuing visas
The British government is trying to fill the personnel gaps – with the help of exemptions when issuing work visas. Almost a week ago around 10,500 such visas were approved: 5000 for foreign truck drivers and 5500 for employees in the poultry industry. But the visas are limited in time and only allow employment until Christmas. That is not very attractive for foreign workers.
By letter against the lack of staff
Great Britain also uses letters to advertise potential workers – especially Germans who live in the UK. Because drivers from Germany with a driver’s license that was issued before 1999 are allowed to drive small trucks with a maximum weight of 7500 kilograms under certain conditions.
The letter advertises “great opportunities for truck drivers in the logistics industry” and improved working conditions “across the sector”. “Your skills and experience have never been needed more than they are now,” the letter reads.