Drivers face confusion over petrol crisis after day of panic, U-turns and Government chaos

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DRIVERS faced confusion over the petrol crisis after a day of panic, U-turns and Government chaos.

Last night 150 troops were training to drive tankers — hours after a bungling Cabinet minister said there were no shortages or plans to call in the Army.

Drivers faced confusion over the petrol crisis after a day of panic, U-turns and Government chaos
Boris Johnson and his team were accused of being ‘asleep at the wheel’ as fights broke out at petrol stations

Boris Johnson and his team were accused of being “asleep at the wheel” as mile-long queues for fuel developed and fights broke out at petrol stations.

BP, Esso and Shell bosses jointly begged panicking drivers to “only buy fuel as they usually would”.

Forecourts should return to normal in “the coming days” if people calmed down, they added.

But last night the Business Department formally appealed to the Ministry of Defence for support to distribute fuel around Britain.

A Military Assistance to Civil Authorities request will see 150 specialist troops retrain to work with highly flammable fuel and remain on standby in the coming days and weeks.

Earlier Environment Secretary George Eustice had claimed: “There have been some shortages of HGV drivers getting petrol to forecourts but actually that is quite limited.”

He said: “We’ve no plans at the moment to bring in the Army to do the driving.”

Labour’s Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said ministers were “asleep at the wheel” over the crisis.

🔵 Read our petrol crisis live blog for live updates on the crisis

Later, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “The men and women of our Armed Forces stand ready to alleviate the transport pressures where they are felt most.”

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “While the fuel industry expects demand will return to its normal levels in the coming days, it’s right we take this sensible, precautionary step.”

But the Petrol Retailers Association said troops will not be a magic “lever” to fix the problem and the chaos could yet last weeks.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: ‘We’ve no plans at the moment to bring in the Army to do the driving”

The queue for the petrol station wrapped around the streets and caused traffic chaos in South London

But later, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: ‘The men and women of our Armed Forces stand ready to alleviate the transport pressures where they are felt most’

The queue for the petrol station wrapped around the streets and caused traffic chaos in South London

A queue for a petrol station wrapped around the streets and caused traffic chaos in South London this morning
The Petrol Retailers Association said the chaos could last weeks
A man seen filling a jerry can with fuel
As mile-long queues for fuel developed today, drivers were left confused by Government chaos
A Military Assistance to Civil Authorities request will see 150 specialist troops retrain to work with highly flammable fuel