Ambulance crashes into car trying to get past long fuel queue

26 September 2021, 15:46 | Updated: 26 September 2021, 22:33

Ambulance crashes into vehicle in petrol station queue in south London

A London ambulance has crashed into a car after becoming caught up in chaotic queues for fuel.

Dramatic footage emerged last night showing the ambulance on Bromley Hill, attempting to navigate queues of traffic in both directions as motorists rushed to fill up with fuel.

The ambulance, which was responding to an incident at the time, had to stop so that the drivers could exchange details before the paramedics could continue with their journey.

London Ambulance Service told LBC that the ambulance had to be put out of service briefly following the incident, but that another crew responded to the incident and the patient in question suffered no delay in receiving treatment.

A spokesperson said: "We can confirm that one of our ambulances was involved in a collision with another vehicle on Bromley Hill at approximately 6.55pm yesterday (25 September), while on a blue light call to a patient.

"As a result of the incident, the ambulance was out of service for a short amount of time and a different ambulance crew attended the patient."

Motorists across the UK have reported long queues and waiting for hours for fuel in recent days.

It comes after BP announced yesterday that it had had to close some stations due to a lack of fuel.

Some filling stations have been forced to close early in recent days after pumps ran dry, as logistics chains throughout the UK struggle with a lack of HGV drivers.

Read more: Panic stations: Shapps blames 'irresponsible' haulage firm for petrol shortage fears

Read more: Army of 10,000 foreign workers asked to save Christmas from shortages crisis

The government has announced plans to issue 5,000 temporary work visas for overseas HGV drivers, but this falls well short of the estimated 90,000 vacancies.

Dry fuel pumps in south London as Shapps blames haulage groups for queues

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has claimed the fears of a fuel shortage are manufactured, and there is "plenty" of fuel to go around.

Petrol Retailers Association chairman Brian Madderson has said that although the UK has plenty of fuel, there are a limited number of drivers and tankers to transport it around the country.

Meanwhile, a government source has reportedly blamed haulage chiefs for leaking details of potential supply issues, triggering motorists to panic buy.

Read more: Tesco warns Christmas panic buying could be 'far worse' than during Covid

Read more: Drivers pack cars with jerry cans and £30 cap introduced as panic-buyers scramble for fuel

Rod McKenzie, of the Road Haulage Association, has categorically denied leaking details of a meeting between fuel industry executives and the Cabinet Office.

Mr Shapps said that the shortage of drivers will "resolve itself".

However, other industry leaders have criticised the government, describing it as throwing "a thimble of water on a bonfire".