Tuesday, 19 September, 2000, 17:05 GMT 18:05 UK Ration warning over fuel panic

Petrol may have to be rationed if motorists continue to panic buy, oil companies have warned. Unfounded rumours that blockades were about to be reintroduced caused huge queues at garages around the UK. The police, the government and oil firms appealed for calm.

The rumours, which started in South Wales, have spread rapidly to other parts of the country, leading to a warning from the Petrol Retailers Association that the situation could become "extremely serious".

Police say there are no protests taking place and the oil companies and the Transport and General Workers Union confirm that no blockades have been reimposed.

Chasing petrol? General public inquiries 08456 071071 Essential users inquiries 0345 345005 www.fuelinfo.gov.uk The panic buying began when an inaccurate report on a local radio station in South Wales, Red Dragon FM, on Monday, said fuel protesters were about to restart their action.

BP warned that if the panic buying continued, the 46 sites previously designated for emergency only might once again have to be closed to the public.

"We are replenishing the network to make sure the levels of stock do not run out again.

"The panic buying is putting extra pressure on an already difficult task," said an official.

Brown stands firm

Police were forced to close some petrol stations in Cardiff after long queues began affecting city-centre traffic.

The renewed panic follows Chancellor Gordon Brown's rejection of threats by protesters who said that if there was no action on fuel policy within 60 days they would resume their blockades.

Mr Brown said the government would not give in to petrol protesters.

"We are not going to make decisions on the basis of deadlines such as this," he said in an interview in The Times newspaper.

"We have a process that works - the pre-Budget report and then the Budget."

'Mental queues'

Huge queues built up at service stations in Bristol following rumours that there was to be a fresh blockade outside the Avonmouth Docks.

Darren Baine, of Avon Police, said there were big queues in the area causing gridlock.

"All we can keep saying to people is there is no reason to panic buy, use a bit of common sense and you will be able to get the fuel you need," he told BBC News 24.

The panic reaction has forced the ambulance service in the West Midlands to reintroduce its emergency plan.

BP in Scotland tried to allay motorists' fears.

"There is no substance behind the rumours of disruption to fuel supplies," a spokesman said.

"It is business as usual at the Grangemouth road tanker terminal and deliveries are back to normal across Scotland."

Supt Doug Adams, head of traffic division of Essex Police, said there were huge queues at petrol stations across the county.

Brown: "We are listening to farmers and hauliers" "I am concerned from a road safety aspect because the weather is quite horrendous at the moment so tailbacks are quite precarious to be sitting in," he told BBC News 24.

WPC Sharon Newman, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said rumours of fresh disputes were causing panic buying.

"Our log describes some queues as 'mental'," she said.

"One garage has already closed because it is safer to close than to actually have the queues onto the main road," she said.

Cheshire police also appealed to motorists to stop panic-buying fuel.

"Cheshire police have a patrol at Stanlow. There is no picket there and we have no knowledge of pickets anywhere in the county," a spokesman said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_932000/932207.stm

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), September 19, 2000

Answers

September 19th PETROL PANIC STRIKES AGAIN

The fear of empty petrol tanks sent drivers on a crazy panic-buying spree after rumours of a new fuel crisis gripped the country.

Police called for calm and urged motorists to stay away from overwhelmed filling stations.

And a leading petrol company warned, that if the panic continued, supplies WOULD have to be rationed.

BP said it might have to close 46 of its sites designated for emergency use only.:"The panic buying is putting extra pressure on an already difficult task," said an official.

The latest fuel panic broke out after presenters on a radio station in South Wales, Red Dragon FM, joked that the petrol crisis could be about to continue.

'Just a joke'

The rumour soon spread and drivers throughout Wales started to queue.Within hours, motorists in the Midlands, south west England and the Home Counties joined in, forcing some garages to shut.

The panic spread to Manchester and the Scottish borders as police chiefs rushed to local radio stations to try to quell the rumours.

Wildfire'

Police found themselves facing fresh traffic chaos.Sir John Evans, spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers, told Sky News: "Although these rumours have spread like wildfire there is no justification in them. It all started as nothing but a joke. There is no reason for motorists to join long queues."

Shadow transport minister, Bernard Jenkin, said of the latest crisis: "This kind of public reaction shows that people have no faith the the Government has solved this crisis. Ordinary people can see that the Government needs to get real on fuel duties, not to get more Government powers."

Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy, has also called upon the Government to act swiftly to restore calm and prevent further panic buying of fuel.

He said: "This is a result of confusion about what is going on and it is the Government's responsibility to end that confusion."

The Radio Authourity have confirmed that they will be investigating Cardiff-based Red Dragon FM about the rumours

http://www.sky.com/news/uk/story10.htm

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), September 19, 2000.