BP has reportedly been forced to close some of its petrol stations and told the government that it’s planning to restrict petrol and diesel deliveries due to the ongoing shortage of HGV drivers.
According to ITV, BP’s head of UK Retail, Hanna Hofer, said at a meeting organised by the Cabinet Office last Thursday that it was important for government to understand the “urgency of the situation”, which she described as “bad, very bad”.
Hofer was understood to have said that BP has two thirds of normal forecourt stock levels required for smooth operations and that level is “declining rapidly”. She said the company is preparing to restrict deliveries “very soon”.
ITV said this will mean running 80% of services levels to 90% of BP’s forecourt network and that most locations, will not be restocked for one-and-a-half days a week. However, forecourts on motorways will be prioritised and restocked as normal.
A spokesperson for BP told ITV: “We are experiencing fuel supply issues at some of our retail sites in the UK and unfortunately have therefore seen a handful of sites temporarily close due to a lack of both unleaded and diesel grades.
“These have been caused by delays in the supply chain, which has been impacted by industry-wide driver shortages across the UK and we are working hard to address this issue.
“We continue to work with our haulier supplier to minimise disruption and to ensure efficient and effective deliveries to serve our customers. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
