As petrol shortages across south London go into a third week, one Inside Croydon reader went that extra mile – or 20 – to fill up his tank in Sussex
Pumps out: supplies to petrol stations in Scotland, the north and Midlands have normalised. But not in London
I set off at 6am yesterday morning, Sunday.
The queue for Tesco Elmers End was all the way beyond Longheath Gardens, and after last week’s midnight experience elsewhere of irate drivers and people pushing in the line, I just couldn’t face the slow-moving queue any longer and moved on.
I had enough petrol but Sunday is the day I have less work. I can’t get time off work on weekdays to spend time on petrol hunting.
We live a long way from public transport and need the car for dropping young children at different schools. So filling up the car once a week is important.
The station at Shirley opposite Trinity School was dry.
The queue on Lower Addiscombe Road was huge.
Nothing along the Brighton Road, all empty.
Tesco Purley was overwhelmed.
The petrol station just through the bridge to Kenley was dry too.
I tried Godstone Valley – nothing. Then up to Warlingham, Woldingham and on to Nutfield. Nowt.
I’d heard that the motorways had better supplies. On the M25, it said Clacket Services no fuel.
So on to the M23 to try Copthorne by the airport. Nothing there.
So went down to Pease Pottage down in Sussex. I was there by 8 and success.
I got back home and told the wife I had bought her a really precious birthday present.
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why is Croydon so poorly supplied with petrol? its a shambles and someone should be held accountable … this is no longer just the panic buyers …I havent been able to get petrol from the outset of this farce and now have less that a quarter of a tank … cant risk driving round to look for more and using this up.. saving it now for any emergency .. not able to use public transport, cycle or walk far .. so now virtually a prisoner in my own home .
Hazel, I only fill up every 8 weeks as I am a low user but an essential user (for travel for care of people and animals and because I live in the wilds of Kenley in an area with no buses and, now, hardly any trains). But of course I was on the red when this ‘crisis’ occured. It took me 6 days to find petrol in Croydon due the mayhem. A taxi driver told me there was fuel in Caterham, I snuck up there but only diesel. A facebook group suggested that a tanker delivery had occured at Whyteleafe… I hurried over the next morning and joined a queue that lasted 2.5 hours. I was eventually successful in purchasing petrol but I was on vapour by the time I got to the pump only to have a very rude person push in in front of me. It was not what I had planned…. I hope in 8 weeks time that this has been resolved! The government has been absolute shambles has it not.