Fuel crisis: Petrol station lets NHS workers jump queues but 'thousands' turn up

29 September 2021, 19:31

A BP garage tried to prioritise NHS workers for fuel
A BP garage tried to prioritise NHS workers for fuel, David Charman said. Picture: Alamy

By Will Taylor

A petrol station allowed NHS workers to jump growing queues for fuel and fill up their tanks, taking priority over other motorists.

The Parkfoot BP garage in West Malling, Kent, focused on people working in the emergency services as a lack of HGV drivers led to shortages at forecourts.

But David Charman, who runs the garage, said the attempt proved too difficult, with motorists trying to claim they were key workers, and with "thousands" arriving, the demand was too great when other stations in the area ran out of fuel.

"It wasn't key workers because key workers would be - I think the majority of Kent considers themselves to be a key worker," he said.

"What we tried to do is prioritise NHS and essential workers, but again that definition is very hard for us to define.

"We had people that work in schools in different capacities and they said, are we an essential worker?

Read more: Motorists with 'petrol rage' will be arrested for fights at filling stations, Khan warns

Read more: How long could it take to fix the UK fuel crisis?

Sadiq Khan warns of consequences of 'petrol rage' amid fuel crisis

"It became impossible for us because there was literally hundreds and hundreds if not thousands and thousands that came into that category and in a situation where we were the only petrol station where we had fuel and therefore we had queues of normal people, if I call them that, then it was incredibly difficult for us to then cope with trying to move people out of a queue on the basis that they were a higher priority than someone else."

Huge queues have become common place as motorists try to fill up their cars, with some even taking jerry cans to stock up on fuel.

Tempers have spilled over into fights at some forecourts.

Parkfoot limited its sales for an hour this week.

But Mr Charman, who saw a queue stretch to a mile-and-a-half on Tuesday, said he would only bring back the prioritisation policy when more fuel is available.

He found it "impossible" to track down essential workers in such a lengthy backlog of cars.

"I think the only time that we will consider doing that is when all the petrol stations around us have fuel and therefore our demand has reduced, then we can say without fear of a huge quantity of people arriving, to try and save an NHS worker from having to get in a queue, we can save then time and energy and get them in and out quickly and to work.

"But it's nearly an impossible task."

He believes he has seen a "slight easing of the situation" because motorists who rushed to fill up in recent days now don't need to.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Breaking
Breaking News

Gatwick Airport South Terminal evacuated due to ‘security incident’

Simone White will be 'sincerely missed', a tribute to her has said

Devastated colleagues pay tribute to British lawyer as Laos ‘methanol mass poisoning’ death toll rises to six

Colette Fairbanks was sacked after sharing ‘offensive’ posts

Brexit views not protected from workplace discrimination, tribunal rules after woman sacked over ‘offensive’ posts

The Metropolitan Police carried out a controlled detonation of a suspect package near the US embassy in London

US Embassy in London on 'lockdown' as police investigate 'suspect package'

Coleen Rooney said her husband Wayne has not been forgiven in the court of public opinion

Coleen Rooney opens up on Wayne's 'difficult' mistakes as she says he hasn't been forgiven in court of public opinion

Many of the victims were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel

Laos hostel owner arrested after Brit lawyer becomes fifth tourist to die in 'poisoning'

Holly Bowles, 19, from Melbourne, has died in the ‘methanol mass poisoning’

Sixth person dies in Laos ‘methanol mass poisoning’ as hostel owner detained by police

Exclusive
Feargal Sharkey tests the River Test with LBC

'We're destroying what should be the finest river on Earth': Feargal Sharkey tests the River Test with LBC

Household energy bills will rise again from January

Household energy bills to rise by £21 a year from January in further blow for Brits this winter

Putin issued a chilling threat to the West as he confirmed Russia launched a ballistic missile against Ukraine

'The world must respond': Zelenskyy warns that Putin is 'testing' the West after confirmed use of new ballistic missile

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations

Donald Trump nominates Pam Bondi for attorney general hours after Matt Gaetz withdraws

Starmer has backed the International Criminal Court over its arrest warrant for Netanyahu

Netanyahu faces arrest if he travels to Britain as Starmer vows to enforce International Criminal Court warrant

Yvette Cooper has branded the Rwanda scheme a "complete con."

Yvette Cooper to crack down on anti-social behaviour with new 'respect orders' as repeat offenders face jail time

King Charles III And Queen Camilla on Coronation Day

King Charles' coronation cost taxpayer £72 million, report reveals

Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City

Pep Guardiola signs two-year contract extension with Manchester City

Captain Tom's Daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore

Behaviour at Captain Tom charity left ex-boss 'gobsmacked'