More Fuel Stations Around London Run Dry Before Weekend

(Bloomberg) --

The number of fuel stations in London and the Southeast that are dry increased, showing that efforts to end the region’s shortages may not be smooth.

There are 16% of filling stations in London and the Southeast without fuel, the U.K.’s Petrol Retailers Association said in a statement citing a survey of its membershp. It was at 12% on Thursday. 

The PRA’s statement didn’t say why a larger proportion were without fuel, but one explanation might be increased demand to fill up before the weekend. Friday is often the busiest day of the week in normal times, according to government data.  

The fuel crisis began late last month when BP Plc said a shortage of drivers was reducing supplies to some filling stations. The news triggered panic buying, a more-than-doubling in fuel sales at one stage, and a sharp reduction in how much fuel was available.

As well as the dry stations, 11% have only one grade of fuel around London and the Southeast, while 73% in the region have both. In other parts of the country, 80% have both.

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