UK Asks for Army Help After Shortage of Fuel Truck Drivers
The British government on Monday (27/09) announced, British Army fuel tanker truck drivers will be deployed to distribute fuel oil, BBM.
In a state of alert, the soldiers involved will be tasked with reducing supply chain pressures and spikes in local fuel demand, the government said in a statement.
Drivers of military fuel tanker trucks are on standby at a number of locations where they are most needed and provide guaranteed fuel supplies. However, before being deployed to the field, they will receive special training.
The Minister for Economic Affairs, Business and Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng, said Britain had a "strong fuel supply."
"However, we recognize there are supply chain issues at the fuel stations and are taking steps to mitigate them as a priority," he said.
Panic buying exacerbated the fuel supply crisis triggered by the lack of post-Brexit truck drivers.
Fuel tanker truck drivers who usually deliver fuel to various filling stations, the majority are EU citizens whose visas are no longer extended.
The Environment Ministry said the UK was not facing a fuel shortage, but the disruption was only at the point of delivery. "The most important thing is that people are just buying gas as usual. There is no shortage," Environment Secretary George Eustice told reporters.
Johnson's spokesman on Monday (27/09), said the government was not complacent and promised to take the necessary steps to help deliver fuel to gas stations.
"What we are doing as a responsible government is to take the necessary preparatory steps, if necessary there will be further action," the spokesman said.
How is the UK Overcoming the Truck Driver Shortage?
The shortage of truck drivers - created as a result of the pandemic, an aging workforce, exodus of foreign workers and unfavorable working conditions - led to a series of unexpected events following Britain's official exit from the European Union (Brexit) last year.
The UK daftar togel online government has said it will issue 5,000 quarterly visas to truck drivers from October and an additional 5,500 visas to workers in poultry processing plants. A step that is considered by many will not be successful. Also the Confederation of British Industry said the amount was far from what was needed.
European truck driver representatives are also skeptical, drivers from the European Union are interested in coming to the UK on a temporary visa which will expire on December 24, 2021. Another consideration is that in the European Union the demand for truck drivers is also high with better wages than in the UK.