Fuel shortage as pumps run dry
Susan Lochrie • Published 6 Dec 2010 10:00
FILLING stations in Inverclyde ran out of fuel as blizzard conditions brought parts of the country to a standstill.
Petrol pumps ran dry at the busy Branchton BP station, and signs went up to warn customers of the shortage.
Elsewhere, at the BP petrol station in Wemyss Bay, there was no diesel as tankers failed to make it from the oil refinery in Grangemouth.
Oil giants BP said they would not put lives at risk by making drivers attempt deliveries in hazardous conditions.
But they vowed to get the pumps working again as the snow eased off over the weekend.
At Branchton, deputy manager Heather Hayley said: "We have run out because the tankers were unable to get through because of the weather.
"There is nothing we could do about it and our customers were very understanding. The weather has brought the country to a standstill."
Over the weekend, Branchton was still waiting for the tankers to make it as BP promised their drivers were back on the roads trying to catch up with the backlog.
It received a delivery this morning before the snow started.
In Wemyss Bay, it was a similar story as the BP filling station run by Pearsons Motors was left without diesel.
Owner David Pearson said: "It is unfortunate but there were problems at Grangemouth with the weather. We were due to get filled up on Friday and then Saturday. Our next delivery is due tomorrow. We will just have to wait and see."
BP bosses at Grangemouth took the decision to limit the trucks going out as the hazardous conditions closed off roads around the country.
A spokesman said: "We took the decision health and safety had to come first. But as from Friday afternoon, we were getting back to normal.
The drivers were back out making deliveries."
Clydeport Service Station in Port Glasgow was also out of fuel on Thursday night.
However, Morrisons in Greenock did not experience the same problems. A spokeswoman said: "We have always had fuel. We have not run out at all."
Inverclyde came to a standstill last week because of the wintry weather.
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 06 Dec 10
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