The British government is sending the military to get a grip on the gasoline crisis. There is still a lack of truck drivers in the kingdom who can bring the fuel, which is available in sufficient quantities, from the depots to the petrol pumps. Therefore, as of today, 200 soldiers are deployed. They will drive tankers and deliver to the country’s gas stations, as the petrol shortage continues to lead to long queues in front of the petrol pumps.
In addition, 300 instant visas were issued for foreign drivers, while a further 4,700 visas are no longer, as announced a week ago, only to be valid until Christmas, but until March next year.
It is questionable whether this will effectively alleviate the supply crisis. On the one hand, 5,000 truck drivers are not much if the industry association “Road Haulage Association” assumes a shortage of more than 100,000. On the other hand, the UK is not very attractive to EU truckers after Brexit. Increased bureaucracy, time-consuming customs formalities and higher taxes have made the work unattractive. In addition, there is also a shortage of long-distance drivers on the continent and thus the availability of improved working conditions and higher wages. Then why come to the island?
A curious appeal illustrates the government’s helpless response. Peter Neumann, political scientist at the renowned “King’s College” in London, received a letter from the Ministry of Transport. “There’s never been a better time,” he was wooed, “to find the kind of truck driver job you want.” The reason for the request: Neumann registered his German driver’s license in England, and because he had obtained it before 1999, he had the license for vehicles up to 7.5 tons. “Good to know,” tweeted the political scientist, “that if politics and science fail, I can still become a trucker in Brexit Britain.” Followed by three laugh emojis. Like Neumann, around one million truck drivers received this letter.
