Posted on Tuesday 28th September 2021
Staffordshire, like the rest of the country, has seen issues with availability of fuel at its petrol stations, leading to long queues and forecourts running out in some cases.
The Government says there is plenty of fuel in the refineries and is working on plans to restock the pumps as quickly as possible. It expects the situation to be resolved in the coming days.
Everyone is being encouraged to only top up their cars with the usual amount to allow petrol stations to get back to normal and to allow workers such as the emergency services, health and care workers, school transport staff and taxis easily get the fuel they need in the next few days.
Although this is a temporary situation, as a precautionary measure the county council will also be looking at its business continuity plans to ensure critical services can be maintained. There are currently no services significantly affected, but we are monitoring the situation closely.
Alan White, Leader of Staffordshire County Council, said:
“We would encourage everyone to play their part in the next few days by only getting as much fuel as they really need, working from home where possible and to try and cut back on non-essential longer journeys if they can.
“This will make it easier for people who do need to fill up for their work such as police, fire and ambulance crews, NHS and Care workers and education and transport workers to do just that and allow our forecourts to rebuild their stocks.”
People choosing to travel by public transport or to car share are being advised to wear face coverings and to allow plenty of fresh air into cars if driving.