Priority for key workers at petrol stations– ‘fuel crisis’

More than 300 people responded with their views.

Stations across Southampton have been left reeling over the six-day crisis, closing their pumps for periods of time as they await deliveries.

Some offered fuel only to HGV drivers and emergency services as stocks dwindled.

Here is what our readers said about prioritising key workers:

1. Beckie Farrington: “So the moral of the story is 1. scrap the ‘keyworker’ phrase (its only causing more division) 2. Don’t be a (expletive) when it comes to buying fuel!! Cars spilling out of the shell garage on Millbrook Road West causing traffic needing M271 to swerve out!”
2. Gavin Colbourne: “Even Royal Mail are having issues getting the fuel needed to help deliver essential packets like covid packs etc. People should realise there is NOT shortage of fuel BUT a shortage of properly qualified drivers. But like last year’s bog roll hoarding it is greedy people wanting to grab every last drop of fuel.”
3. Peter Andrew Dudgeon: “Yes, but then how do specify a “key worker”? Lorry drivers, taxi drivers, volunteer hospital drivers, doctors and nurses, police fire and rescue, shop workers, teachers…and the list goes on…in principle yes I agree but in practice it can’t work!”
4. Hannah Bolton: “YES and put a limit on the pump of how much a person can put in and stop people filling Jerry cans up”
5. Leah Holdaway: “Fuel stations should have a minimum limit for filling up. Anyone with a job is a priority, those that care for loved ones are a priority, those due to have a baby are a priority. The list is endless. The media, anyone who has topped up unnecessarily and everyone posting on social media are to blame as it fuelled the fire (no pun intended).”
6. Shelley Jones: “Emergency services vehicles should take priority above anything as it’s the difference between life and death in some cases!”
7. Amy Louise Motteram: “Yea being a career in the community is a joke to get fuel if we can’t get fuel people go with out care!”
8. Marc Howes: “HGV drivers should be key workers.”
9. William Towgood: “When lockdown happened the first time, key worker list was drawn up, by the second lockdown it multiplied many times over. Sooooo, what’s a key person?”
10. Jacqueline Hodge: “As a key worker and desperately low on fuel and worried about how I’m going to get to work over the next few days I would still say no. Key workers are no different from any other sector. We all have places to go and people to see.”
11. Charlotte Clarke: “I’ve seen garages checking people have less than half a tank snd the one I used was £30 spend limit. This helps.”
12. Mary Moo: “Maybe if nothing was mentioned about petrol in the first place we all wouldn’t be in this situation. But as usual people panicked brought yet again.”
13. Sam Oxlade: “Absolutely as I’ve been trying to get fuel for 2 days and it’s becoming a joke ask yourself this question what if your relative was to get ill and you have no emergency response because of people’s stupidity and ungratefulness.”