Petrol stations across Southwark have run dry or rationed supplies after mass panic buying, leaving those needing fuel for essential travel stranded.
Many desperate workers took to social media to try and find out where was still open.
One driver wrote on the East Dulwich Forum website on Monday: “My wife just filled up her car as I need it for work.
“She queued up at Asda in Old Kent Road for one-and-a-half hours and people were trying to push in.
“She said there are people marshalling but drivers arguing and fights breaking out.”
Another poster had tried Morrison’s Peckham; Walworth BP; Tesco Old Kent Road; Asda old Kent Road; and stations near Loughborough train station, East Dulwich and Crystal Palace Sainsbury’s all to no avail.
Many stations have put £35 limits on petrol to get queues moving. Over the weekend Old Kent Road was gridlocked despite Boris Johnson’s plea for people not to panic buy.
Gridlock in Old Kent Road because a petrol tanker has arrived at the BP service station. Cars queuing for petrol blocking multiple buses and all traffic behind. Madness. #PanicAtThePumps pic.twitter.com/eg4NObp6Af
— Catherine Whitaker (@whitakercn_home) September 27, 2021
Today it emerged the army had been put on standby to help resolve the crisis, as transport secretary Grant Shapps insisted the situation was showing ‘tentative signs’ of stabilising.
Panic buying has exacerbated HGV driver shortages and supply chain problems blamed on Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many other countries have been affected, the UK has been particularly hard hit.
Camberwell Road is blocked in both directions due to selfish drivers queueing at @goapplegreen to get petrol. The drivers seem to be completely unaware of the chaos they are causing. They’re not even letting the buses through! #petrolshortage #panicbuying #idiots pic.twitter.com/0h675kHDrs
— Lizetta (@lizetta) September 25, 2021
Early morning petrol run in Camberwell pic.twitter.com/tyHJoQlOSH
— Fitzgerald Honger (@FitzHonger) September 25, 2021
Traffic all the way from Bowyer Place to almost the Green as drivers queue to fill their cars at the petrol station. pic.twitter.com/6gyDV1QdsY
— Camberwell Online (@camberwellblog) September 25, 2021
Day 3 of the ever more pointless panic buy queueing outside the Asda Old Kent Road petrol station (and the first day I get the drone out) pic.twitter.com/Ao1wNKeydk
— Matt 'TK' Taylor (@MattieTK) September 26, 2021
Morrisons Petrol station Peckham London this morning.
There is fuel but they will start selling from 8am.
The PM is yet to say anything -shortage ,what shortage? as ministers keep saying. pic.twitter.com/HHyk2HwEGW— joeegbe (@joeegbe_) September 28, 2021
They're still queueing for petrol on Grove Vale, causing a tailback for all the traffic up to Sainsbury's on Dog Kennel Hill. pic.twitter.com/teFtsgbF3l
— East of Dulwich (@East_of_Dulwich) September 26, 2021
Meanwhile, Sadiq Khan has called for key workers to be prioritised for fuel.
“The government must reserve fuel for those who desperately need it. Designating stations for essential workers would keep our capital moving—just as it did during the 2000 fuel crisis.
“Our city needs to get moving again. These fuel delivery issues are causing congestion and leaving Londoners unable to do their jobs.
“ I welcome the Army being put on standby as they have the logistics experience needed to ensure fuel gets to where it’s needed.”
There were signs on Tuesday afternoon that the worst of the crisis could be over. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “we now are starting to see the situation improve” and urged people to go about their business as normal.
The organisation that represents petrol stations said that the situation was likely to continue to get better on Wednesday.
Gordon Balmer, who leads the petrol retailers association, said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon: “There are early signs that the crisis at pumps is ending, with more of our members reporting that they are now taking further deliveries of fuel.
“Fuel stocks remain normal at refineries and terminals, although deliveries have been reduced due to the shortage of HGV drivers.
“We have conducted a survey of our members this morning and only 37 per cent of forecourts have reported being out of fuel today. With regular restocks taking place, this percentage is likely to improve further over the next 24 hours.”