We got lucky on Saturday and was able to add £35 of diesel taking fuel tank to halfway full.I’ve filled up this morning and just a couple of cars in front of me so definitely improvement, drove past 3 other locations and much the same, most people are probably driving with virtually a fuel tank so are either not topping up yet or if they do it’s only a few litres so petrol stations aren’t running out so quickly.
BP
They were following. The tanker driver realised he was being followed when he joined the A43 in Northamptonshire, and the queue behind him didn't pass. Then when he turned into his actual destination (building site) he was hooted at and stopped, as he thought he had a problem. It was at that point the drivers following asked where was taking his fuel...However by the same token perhaps none of the vehicles behind were able to over take the tanker due to road conditions, but it made a good twist for a tale and driver of the tanker made the news?
Chances of all those cars in the queue behind the tanker actually following the tanker for fuel is a bit remote as some may just have been stuck in the queue although they were going elsewhere? Just saying.
What date are you going we also away soon cannot waitWe are going to need to do it soon-on hols in a week and a bit!
I happened to notice that Sainsburys in Tamworth have diesel at 131.9/litre - annoyingly I'd just filled up at Asda at 133.7 - no queues at either.Had no problem in Leek or Oakham getting unlimited diesel - noticed today that both Asda and Morrisons in Peterborough had fuel, without jacking up the prices although filling stations along the A1 all had prices over £1.40 per litre.
Got a 200 mile run tomorrow so hope I can refuel afterwards.
The Midlands and North have for once been “levelled up”I happened to notice that Sainsburys in Tamworth have diesel at 131.9/litre - annoyingly I'd just filled up at Asda at 133.7 - no queues at either.
From the media it still seems to be an issue in London and South-east.
Pleased you got fuel for your GolfWe finally got lucky and the first time since this all started, noticed an open station and finally got diesel for our Golf.
Had got daft in we simply dare not go out looking for fuel with the Golf, had to use the bike or Disco to go looking, then rush home for the Golf!
I am pleased you got fuelI’ve filled up this morning and just a couple of cars in front of me so definitely improvement, drove past 3 other locations and much the same, most people are probably driving with virtually a fuel tank so are either not topping up yet or if they do it’s only a few litres so petrol stations aren’t running out so quickly.
BP
The Midlands and North have for once been “levelled up”
You are right about crop picking being backbreaking work in sometimes bad weather conditions. Even before Brexit I have seen programmes on tv about how few British would stick it, even though they were unemployed. So EU Labour was understandably used to fill the gap, and some would move around the country as crops came ready, others came in for the season. One way, and it will not be a quick fix, is to maximise the use of automation to overcome the problem and at the same time improve productivity.I continue to be amused at the stories in the main stream media concerning the shortage of heavy goods drivers and agricultural labourers. Depending on which paper you read, the UK is short of 100 000 HGV drivers and the shortage had been made worse by brexit.
Yet, when you look at historical statistics it seems that the UK was 60,000 shy in 2015. Which is before the referendum. So how can that be blamed in brexit. Plus we learn that just shy of 30,000 would be drivers are stuck in the system awaiting test results. This because the licencing agency are working from home due to the pandemic. Get them behind the wheel and we'd be laughing.
As we're on the subject of fiddling figures. The media are reporting one Lincolnshire farmer offering £30 per hour to cut broccoli. First off, it's not broccoli they are cutting, it's calabrese.
The Daily Mail explains that this equates to a salary of £60,000 per annum. Great story, total nonsense. The job is based on piece work and the volume of crops harvested. True you could earn the equivalent of £30 per hour. But this is back breaking work so you wouldn't be keeping that pace up for long. Plus the harvesting only takes place for a few months a year.
But when did news papers let facts get in the way of a good story.
The fact is that few unemployed unqualified British would accept farm work because there's no transport to the farms, and when the crop is picked they face months with no money while their new unemployment benefit claim is processed.You are right about crop picking being backbreaking work in sometimes bad weather conditions. Even before Brexit I have seen programmes on tv about how few British would stick it, even though they were unemployed. So EU Labour was understandably used to fill the gap, and some would move around the country as crops came ready, others came in for the season. One way, and it will not be a quick fix, is to maximise the use of automation to overcome the problem and at the same time improve productivity.
When the company I worked for went into administration a couple of years ago I had to apply for benefits as trying to find work when you are 59 was rather difficult. It all got processed for unemployment benefit within week, but this was way back in about 2009 however money was dismal so continued looking for work and was successful eventually.The fact is that few unemployed unqualified British would accept farm work because there's no transport to the farms, and when the crop is picked they face months with no money while their new unemployment benefit claim is processed.