Could there be more trouble ahead?
After soaring fuel prices and a planned hike in car tax, Britain’s drivers are heading for more misery in the form of a strike by fuel tanker drivers.
It is feared that if the truckers vote to stop working over pay then over 1,000 forecourts could be closed.
The 500 drivers are said to mostly supply fuel to Shell garages and are demanding a 13% pay rise.
They are threatening strike action if they don’t get the rise and it is estimated this could halt fuel supply to one in 10 garages across the UK.
This could cause huge queues at the pumps and spark panic buying like we have seen in the past.
Last night a source from Unite, which represents the drivers, reportedly said the disruption would be huge.
He also warned that secondary picketing would cause havoc with other petrol supplies across Britain.
He added: ‘This will bring petrol forecourts to a halt and picket lines will not be crossed.’
The AA said last night that the biggest disruption would be in rural areas and on motorways where Shell garages are the only option.
Union officials are understood to be meeting the drivers’ employer today in a bid to halt the strike action.
However, it is thought that their employer, Hoyer UK, is offering a 6% rise whereas they are demanding 13%.