Truckers' shortage forces UK to mull army deployment to ease gas crunch at pumps  

Fuel shortage in the UK has resulted in utter chaos. The situation is grim as the government is mulling to send in the army to help ease the supply disruptions.

Long lines of vehicles can be witnessed at numerous gas stations in the country for the fourth day on Monday.

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The fuel crunch has been triggered by a shortage of truck drivers. Due to coronavirus pandemic, an aging workforce and an exodus of foreign workers following Brexit, the haulage industry says the UK is short of as many as 100,000 truckers.

Calling for emergency workers to be given priority for fuel supplies, Petrol Retailers Association chairman Brian Madderson said the military personnel are also being given training to help them drive tankers.

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Although the government said it has no plans to deploy troops, it was making preparations just in case. To discuss the fuel squeeze, government ministers also held a meeting.

As the truck driver shortage set off rounds of gas panic-buying, the Petrol Retailers Association, which represents around 5,500 independent outlets, said on Sunday that about two-thirds of its members had run out of fuel.

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The government has insisted the country has 'ample fuel stocks', and has blamed the ruckus on consumer behaviour.

"The only reason we don't have petrol on the forecourts is that people are buying petrol they don't need," said Environment Secretary George Eustice.

(With inputs from agencies)