Army tankers will be part of effort to bring petrol to Portsmouth, MP says

Portsmouth North representative Penny Mordaunt said she would ‘continue to press’ ministers for action amid the national fuel crisis that has seen many local petrol stations running dry.

Speaking to The News she said: ‘While other parts of the country have fared quite well in the south east we have not had the deliveries needed to rectify this situation.

‘I’ve been monitoring deliveries and service station managers have been texting me information. I have been lobbying the civil contingency team running the delivery schedule and have been speaking to cabinet ministers to stress the length of time we've not had deliveries.

‘On Thursday last week there was only one garage that had any fuel and for many there have been no deliveries since.

‘I think the public have been so stoic and responsible, and I thank them for it. It is completely unacceptable. We must get this resolved this week and I will do all I can to make it so.’

Ms Mordaunt delayed her journey to Manchester for the Conservative party conference as a result of her lobbying.

When asked about the involvement of the military in the situation she said it would ‘certainly be part of the effort.’

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It comes as the Petrol Retailers Association reported one in five forecourts in London and the south east of England are still without fuel – whereas 86 per cent in the rest of the country had both grades of fuel.

On Monday around 200 military personnel, including 100 drivers, were due to be deployed to deliver fuel to parts of the south east.

By the end of this week it is expected that 150 crews will be delivering fuel across the UK.

A lack of HGV drivers due to Brexit have been blamed for the fuel shortages nationally.

Last week the government announced new immigration rules that will allow 300 fuel drivers from the EU to arrive immediately and stay until the end of March,.

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