London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 22, 2026

Petrol station boss says no need for chaos at the pumps

Petrol station boss says no need for chaos at the pumps

A petrol station boss has appealed for calm amid continued high demand for fuel after panic buying hit Wales.

Mohammed Ali, who runs the Murco garage in Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf, said "chaos" continued on Saturday despite insisting there was no fuel shortage.

A tanker has already resupplied his station after he ran out on Friday despite rationing fuel to £15 per car.

Several supermarkets closed their petrol stations in Wales and beyond on Friday due to demand.

Disruption continued on Saturday, including at Tesco Extra, Bridgend, Asda stores in Merthyr Tydfil and Cardiff north, along with Sainsbury's in Wrexham and at the well-known "Black Cat" garage at the junction of the A55 and A470 in Conwy.

North Wales Police urged people not to form long queues and "unnecessary obstructions" in roads and said petrol stations in the area had reported "no disruption to deliveries at the majority of sites and fuel deliveries are expected to continue as usual".

A shortage of drivers has hit deliveries but ministers and industry leaders insist there is no shortage and they have urged people not to panic buy.

The UK government is planning a temporary scheme to make it easier for foreign lorry drivers to work in the UK.

Mr Ali said the rush on fuel started after the media had "blown things out of proportion".

"We had a delivery at six o'clock in the morning and we opened at seven... and it's already chaos over there," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast on Saturday.

"There is no need for this. There is no such thing as a fuel shortage," he said.

The Road Haulage Association estimates the UK is short of about 100,000 HGV drivers with existing shortages made worse by the pandemic and Brexit.

Jason Edwards, boss of Edwards Coaches in Llantrisant, said he was receiving daily calls from other companies asking for help to cover school bus contracts due to a shortage of drivers.

He said the problem had arisen due to a rise in drivers' pay while companies were running fixed-term school bus contracts with an agreed cost.

Mr Edwards also said drivers and vehicles had to leave an hour early to get to schools on Friday due to the traffic outside petrol stations.

Motorists were seen queuing for a petrol station in Treforest

"Unless the Department of Transport... allow European travellers temporary work permits, this is not going to go away - it's going to get worse," he said.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: "We have ample fuel stocks in this country and the public should be reassured there are no shortages."

The spokesperson said the UK government was looking at introducing temporary, time-limited measures.

"We are moving to a high wage, high skilled economy and businesses will need to adapt with more investment in recruitment and training to provide long-term resilience," the spokesperson said.


People should carry on buying petrol as normal, the UK government says


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Michelin Guide Faces Industry Questions Over Restaurant Inspection Coverage
English Woodlands Face Renewed Weather Stress From Dry Conditions and Strong Winds
Research Finds Extensive Alcohol, Gambling and Unhealthy Food Branding During 2026 World Cup
Five Charged After Newborn Baby Dies From Stab Wounds in Sheffield
BT Could Reap £2 Billion From Recycling Copper as Full-Fibre Network Expands
FCA Urges Young Adults to Trace £1.5 Billion in Unclaimed Child Trust Funds
Reform UK Names Helen Jenner as New Leader in Wales After Dan Thomas Steps Down
Resolution Foundation Calls for Broad-Based Tax Rises to Fund Higher UK Defence Spending
Ed Davey Calls for Global Treaty to Halt Development of Super-Intelligent AI
Scotland Consults on Legal Price Caps for Essential Foods
NHS Productivity Reforms Could Prevent More Than 20,000 Early Deaths a Year, Report Says
United Kingdom and ASEAN Deepen Trade and Investment Cooperation
United Kingdom Deploys RAF Refuelling Support to Saudi Arabia After Houthi Attacks
UK Fiscal Headroom Shrinks as Higher Borrowing Costs Complicate Autumn Budget
UK Public Borrowing Jumps to £18.3 Billion in August, Raising Pressure Before Budget
Andy Burnham Reaffirms UK Net-Zero Target With £30 Million Community Energy Fund
Scottish Labour Leader Backs Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea Projects
UK Consumer Confidence Falls to Three-Year Low
UK Diesel Prices Approach £2 a Litre as Global Supply Shortages Intensify
Chiltern Railways Returns to Public Ownership as UK Rail Nationalisation Advances
British Museum Faces Questions Over Peter Thiel’s Private Bayeux Tapestry Viewing
Earl Spencer Memoir Excerpts Renew Public Debate Over Diana’s Death
Liberal Democrats Gather in Brighton for Autumn Conference
Mothercare Shares Plunge as Middle East Store Closures Threaten Long-Term Solvency
Kent Police Treat Folkestone Hotel Fire as Suspicious
Caribbean Governments Advance Reparations Campaign Seeking Engagement With Britain
Scottish Labour Leader Backs Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea Projects
FCA Urges Young Adults to Trace £1.5 Billion in Unclaimed Child Trust Funds
UK Competition Regulator Opens Inquiry Into McCormick-Unilever Foods Deal
Public Inquiry Into Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Mental Health Failings Set to Begin
Nigel Farage Looks to US Immigration Enforcement Model for UK Border Policy
Chiltern Railways Moves Into Public Ownership
Security Review Raises Concerns Over Sensitive UK Police Data Stored on Microsoft Cloud
Burnham Government Warns of Difficult Autumn Budget as Fiscal Headroom Narrows
Bank of England Holds Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Rises to 3.1%
Ed Sheeran Tour Faces Backlash After Macklemore Is Removed Over Pro-Palestinian Remarks
Vandalism of Traffic Cameras Intensifies Across Parts of England
Nearly 300 Evacuated as Fire Hits Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone
King Charles Warns AI Executives About Risks From Uncontrolled Technology
Church of England Apologises for Role in Historical Forced Adoption Practices
UK Debate Over Online Speech Intensifies After Arrest Figures Draw Scrutiny
Oxfordshire Village Holds Symbolic Independence Vote Over Asylum Accommodation Plan
Nigel Farage and Richard Tice Sue National Crime Agency Over Alleged Banking Data Leaks
Apple Introduces Stricter Age Checks for UK Accounts
BBC Cash Reserves Fall 66% to £125 Million as Broadcaster Restructures
McLaren Announces £500 Million UK Investment and Plans 1,000 Jobs
Green Party Wins Historic Gorton and Denton By-Election as Labour Falls to Third
Burnham Government Prepares October Budget Under Growing Fiscal Pressure
UK Energy Suppliers Pull Fixed-Price Deals as Wholesale Markets Turn More Volatile
Bank of England Holds Rates at 3.75% as Middle East Energy Shock Raises Inflation Risks
×