Long Queues Outside U.K. Fuel Stations Amid Supply Issues

The U.K. government, already grappling with a crisis in the electricity market, is trying to stop drivers panic buying gasoline as lines of drivers build up outside petrol stations in southeast England. BP Plc and Exxon Mobil Corp.’s U.K. unit both said Thursday that a shortage of truck drivers was hampering deliveries of fuels to some locations. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the BBC on Friday that the U.K. is not ruling out relaxing immigration rules for truck drivers, or even deploying the military. The oil companies’ announcements saw a sharp increase in vehicles waiting to buy fuel at some filling stations, with U.K. petroleum industry trade groups seeking to quell concerns about fuel availability. The wider energy crisis has pushed smaller power providers out of business, affecting millions of customers. Larger rivals, being asked to take on their customers, want the government to backstop what might otherwise be a very unprofitable process. Key insights: -Wind