New Fuel Crisis for Scotland?

[Boxby]

We wake up today with Headlines of Panic at the Petrol Pumps.

Apparently the Shutdown at Grangemount starts today, after 1200 worker vote for strike action over pension changes. This could leave Scotland and Northern England with fuel shortages for up to a month, given the length of time it takes to restart the plant at Grangemouth after the 2 day shutdown next week.

What does this mean for your business?

For the Courier and Haulage Industry, it's potentially lethal. Particularly following only a week after the demise of Ramage Distribution.




p.s. We need a general business forum - I had no idea where to put this post!!

 

[Boxby]

My husband's business is House Clearances, and in an average week he covers most of the UK, and drives 1500 odd miles. His favourite "pit stop" is carlise/penrith where there are some of the cheapest fuel stations in the UK (Shhh, don't tell anyone, or they'll put the prices up!).

Fuel is the one thing that he can't do without. No Fuel, no money. Just before Christmas the RHA had a sunday protest HGV slow drive through London and the motorways, and because of the chinese whispers way our media world works, he saw panic buying all accross the UK, with whole towns completely sold out of petrol.

I think things like this hit scotland harder, as unless you live in or very near Glasgow and Edinburgh, there simply aren't the options/alternatives to do without your car. I used to live in a small village, and really noticed the complete reliance on the car. At least now we're in Girvan, metropolis it's not, but we can walk to school, the shops, the bank, and we won't starve if we can't drive anywhere for a week!

 

[Former Member 1]

I will be filling both my cars to the brim later tonight... Normally I do this anyway with the Land Rover as it's daily transport/company workhorse; does about 300 miles on a tank. The Porsche will cover about 250 before I get nervy (I don't trust the quarter-centuryold fuel gauge and if you let it run out it knackers an expensive pump) ...So that's a good 500 miles before I go bankrupt

They're talking about a week? It's not good, but frankly I can't really blame the folk at Grangemouth....

As for Ramage; Well, Mr Broon and his band of robbing scumbags are who I see as to blame. Profiteering oil companies don't help; but then they actually SELL something at the pumps...

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

I would agree that the fuel issue is becoming a concern, i've went out today and filled up both our cars just in case. I live about the half a mile from the Firth Bridge and it took me more than 40 minutes each time to get fuelled up. I think it's fair to say that panic is already setting in.

Regards Sandra and Alison's comments on a general business forum, there was a poll on the following post http://www.scottishbusinessforums.c...ck/131-do-we-need-general-business-forum.html
asking this very question, there wasn't much response but the general consensus was it wasn't needed. My own view is that general forums become filled up with posts that really should be in other sections but it just seems easier to put it there. I'm not saying it would be abused like this here but that's my concern.

I would agree it's not clear where to put that post but I think it's the first post up until now that doesn't have a real home. I've tried to start these forums with as few as possible as I dont want millions of forums on every little topic with very few posts. I tried to pick titles that would pretty much cover most of what would be discussed on a business level. The poll on the other post is still live so i'm happy to take further comments

 

[stugster]

It seems all I've done this week is refer to Richard Branson's book, but coincidentally, I've just finished the chapter "2006" where he discusses the need to invest and develop other fuels instead of unsustainable ones like Oil.

Branson mentions that people don't care about alternatives, and it is only in scenarios like this that people will think about other ways.

There were massive queues outside two of the petrol stations I passed today in Edinburgh. The only reason we will see shortages is if people panic buy like this.

 

[Brian]

I think it's only natural that people will panic buy. The media certainly dont help in this respect, they stoke it up and make a major issue out of it. It's a chain reaction, people see petrol stations being busier than usual and then think they need to get in the queue before it all runs out.

You are correct as well Stuart people are ignorant to finding alternatives and it's only when something like this happens that people pay even the slightest amount of attention to it.

Brian IFA

 

[Former Member 1]

I basically have to agree with what your saying Stugster.... Though people are just protecting their own interests. Folk need to get to work. And public transport is inadequate..

On my teaching days... DESPITE living in a village that has a train station on a line that runs to straight Glasgow...

To be sure of getting to work for my 10:00am lecture I'd need to be out the door at 7:10am. MY daughter would need to be put in a breaksfast club (

 

[ahop23]

Of course there will be some shrtages because people have a very hard time controlling their urge to panic, and that type of panic is exactly what causes the long lines and even higher prices. There needs to be someone to get some affordable alternative sources out there to the public and quickly, but then again that will just eat into the oil industry's profits and they will have none of that!

 

[Former Member 1]

There needs to be someone to get some affordable alternative sources out there to the public and quickly, but then again that will just eat into the oil industry's profits and they will have none of that!

If there was any will to do that there would be LPG pumps at every station, 1/3 of the cars on the road would be duel fuel, the fields would be full of oilseed and sugar beet earmarked for fuel..... Actually I'm wrong; that would have been the picture ten years ago...

 

[stugster]

I have to admit to going to the petrol station and putting in more than usual..

I needed petrol though! I was on the orange light But, I decided to be safe than sorry and put in twice as much as I usually do.

 

[Boxby]

Both sides of this dispute look very entrenched. I think it's going to take a big stick (maybe the Scot Exec) to resolve this. Maybe the very public reiterations of correlation between INEOS spending

 

[TomB]

It ridiculous though, it was quoted that grangemouth makes

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

It looks like there are stations out already and some have started rationing. I had to go to three seperate stations last night to fill up as they all limited it to

 

[stugster]

Glad to see we're all still so literate in Scotland! Inconvience???

 

[TomB]

Glad to see we're all still so literate in Scotland! Inconvience???

Thats such a hard word to spell though all those letters:

inconvenience

i have to think about that word every time i write it.

God i hope the petrol station on ferry road has some.

I'm off ot musselburgh tomorrow night for a show maybe they have some there.

I knew i should have got it before!!

Mind you it only takes

 

[nothing does]

I need petrol to collect my sons from school tomorrow and now I'm starting to panic!

 

[Brian McIntosh]

Asda have said that the fuel shortages won't affect them as they don't get their supplies from Grangemouth. I drove past an Asda this afternoon and there was a queue nae handy.

 

[Boxby]

Check your ferry's CALMAC said that it was starting to cut back on ferry services as on today. Better make sure you're not going to end up sitting in a calmac terminal for a few hours, because those are just not exciting places!!

 

[Boxby]

Ditto!

 

[Former Member 1]

I am pretty disgusted that this issue is still hardly registering south of the border and that it has so far been deemed regional news (though I think it did make the 'national' bulletin tonight). I suppose it sums up the UK govt's attitude to Scotland, as well as highlighting the stupidity of those who don't realise that lack of fuel means lack of distribution of essential goods (including food).

I was sent up (by a U.S. news-gatherer who must remain nameless) to shoot some G.Vs of the plant. Their interest has been sparked by the revelation that closure of this plant could affect the Forties pipeline. So he story is on the cusp of becoming international news.

The 'party line' is that highlighting the problem as a UK wide issue could spark UK wide panic buying; thus threatening supplies across Britain. National editors have been quietly encouraged to play the story down. Likewise unrest within teaching, civil service and many other industries sees the UK on the possible cusp of spiraling through the sort of political/economic/industrial unrest we saw 30-35 years ago....

Ironically there was some English twit on Talk Radio last night banging on about how the fuel strike could bring the country to it's knees. How they and the teachers should be hung drawn quartered etc and how wonderful dear (yes she WAS bloody expensive) old Maggie was.... I say Ironic because we've reached this point thanks to almost 30 years of 'tory' rule... It would appear there is no silver left in in the family chest to sell off.... And since the family no longer own and have control the essentials 'we' appear to be in a spot of bovver...

One POSITIVE aspect of the crisis is it might highlight the point about lack of fuel meaning lack of distribution; and hopefully people will more become more vociferous about tax on fuel driving inflation.

On a broader note you're seeing the collapse of the 'shadow tory' government... Like the 'grey-man' before him Brown will fade into obscurity and disrepute.... The question is What next?