Fuel shortages: 13% of independent petrol stations in London and southeast remain dry

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy More than one in eight petrol stations in and around London remain empty despite fuel shortages beginning to ease elsewhere, according to an industry boss. The Petrol Retail Association said its daily poll showed 13 per cent of independent retailers in the capital and southeast - the region worst hit by the crisis - were still dry on Wednesday. “We need to restore a competitive market with incentives for those who deliver on the job.” Mr Balmer said some businesses had been forced to throw away fresh produce as the ongoing fuel crisis had also caused shop sales to plummet by between 20 and 50 per cent. open image in gallery A driver training instructor for Hoyer Petrolog UK shows Army and RAF driver important features of fuel tankers “Sadly retailers have been throwing away large quantities of fresh produce as the ‘closed’ sign has deterred not just forecourt business but shop sales too, with some quoting reductions in non-fuel sales of between 20 and 50 per cent.