Someone's written a short book about the fuel crisis in Tunbridge Wells
Most of this isn't about the trade, but understandably the community car service is having a tough time as well
Not sure I really understand the HCD's point about not being able to afford fuel if she can't do anything other than the school runs, unless she's exceptionally tight for cash, but fortunately for me I don't do school runs, and there's no fuel shortage here, so maybe I shouldn't judge
There's more photos of cars queueing for fuel on the website, but these take up enough space as it is
Fuel shortage a 'disaster' for cabbies and airport taxi drivers in Tunbridge Wellshttps://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/fuel- ... dge-wells/
Image: In Your Area'It's a day-by-day thing. You don't want to sit in a queue to get an eggcup of fuel,' said Hackney Cab driver Toni ConlonA cab driver in Tunbridge Wells said the fuel shortage was an "absolute disaster" for those taking children to and from school.
Toni Conlon, the only woman Hackney Carriage driver in the borough, is contracted by Kent County Council for its home-school transport service, which is often for children with special needs.
Because of the fuel shortage, the council has asked those drivers to prioritise the lifts for pupils, meaning drivers might not even be able to afford fuel should they find it.
The 59-year-old also said drivers who do airport work were also having a difficult time.
She told us on Wednesday (September 29) she had half a tank and she would be trying to get fuel the next day.
"I don't want to get caught in the hysteria," said Toni, who has been a cabbie in the town for 17 years and lives in Shirley Grove in Rusthall.
Talking about the predicament for cab drivers, she said: "For those of us who are under contract to Kent County Council, it is an absolute disaster. They sent out instructions or guidance on how to get through it and asked that if we are short of fuel, not to take on any work but to prioritise children getting to and from school."
"If we don't work in between, we can't afford the fuel. So we are in a Catch 22. We can't go out to make cash to put fuel in our tanks," said Toni.
She said: "If we have got fuel, we can take the kids to and from school but if we can't, then we can't. It's as simple as that. Kent County Council has asked us to let them know as soon as possible if we can't do the runs and they might have to call out other drivers.
"They said if you think you might not be able to get the children home in the afternoon, don't take them in the morning. I'm a parent, I understand. To my knowledge everyone has done okay so far in Tunbridge Wells. It's a day-by-day thing. You don't want to sit in a queue to get an eggcup of fuel. Everyone is really, really worried about it," she said.
"You also have the guys who specialise in airport work. They are getting hit two ways because of the struggle to get fuel and then you have those protesters, the Insulate Britain, at Junction 3 today on the M25. So they are getting stuck in that which eats their fuel up and they're not going anywhere. It's hideous," said Toni.
Talking of the scenes at fuel stations, she said: "I know everyone needs fuel for stuff but you see ambulances sitting in queues and it's horrendous. I don't understand why we have not deployed the soldiers. People will continue to panic buy until they feel they can go to the local service station and fill up and until that happens, people will continue to be crazy."
The impact of fuel crisis on communityThe fuel crisis showed few signs of letting up as the Kent and Sussex Courier went to press yesterday morning, with queues of traffic still at service stations.
The Government had launched its fleet of tankers, driven by civilians from Wednesday and next week by soldiers, to help with fuel deliveries.
Hopes among locals panic around fuel buying would start to subside yesterday (Thursday) were dashed.
Across the Courier patch, the regular hunt for petrol or diesel appeared to heighten yesterday, with motorists waiting in queues which led off forecourts and congested the road networks.
This meant drivers not even after fuel were caught up in lengthy delays such as in Tunbridge Wells, where queues from Sainsbury's service station in Linden Park affected those coming from Nevill Street or the town centre, with gridlock around the railway station also reported.
Anna Gill from the St James' area was stuck in the snarl-up this morning (Thursday) and took this photograph (below).
Image: In Your AreaShe said: "I’ve been sat here for 20 minutes already, not wanting to use the petrol station but to go past it. Avoid if you’re not needing fuel, they’ve clearly had a delivery and it’s holding everyone up, from the town centre and Nevill Road."
Dhaval Gandhi at the Esso Langton Green has been keeping locals updated multiple times a day about his supplies of fuel and as the Courier went to press, had been expecting a delivery last night or today. (Friday)
Yesterday morning on the village's Facebook page he said he was keep the "tiniest" bit for teachers, nurses and other NHS staff, schools workers and local people who were "really struggling" or those with health issues.
Our local ambulance service, fire service, and police force all reported to the Courier operations had not been impacted, with the first two using their own supplies. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said it was having no issues with the fuel situation including with its contracted bin service.
And the Courier area's community driving charities, who give lifts to appointments for people such as those who have dementia or are frail, were grappling with the impact of the fuel crisis, especially as booster Covid-19 jabs were introduced this week.
Loraine Ash, regional manager at the charity Community Car Service based in Tunbridge Wells, which provides safe transport for people who cannot use public transport. This can be for a variety of reasons, from mobility issues to dementia to simply being frail from old age, told us: "It’s not easy. We are very busy as normal and the Covid-19 booster jabs started this week too. For some reason we are having to take people to Crowborough for their jabs which is using even more fuel.
"I did have two drivers off road because they couldn’t get fuel but both have now got full tanks. As normal my drivers are such stars, they are going out at silly o’clock so they get fuel or very late at night," she said.
Lorraine urged anyone who could volunteer for the service to please ring 01892 540131 as her drivers are currently "run ragged".
A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service said the service had sufficient fuel stocks and was "continuing to work with our partners to monitor the situation while supporting staff".
He urged the public to be "sensible" and "only buy the fuel they require and, as ever, be aware when driving of any blue light vehicle looking to progress through traffic.”
Chris Else, assistant director for operational resilience at Kent Fire and Rescue Service, said they had a "full resilience plan in place" to ensure their crews and vehicles were always able to respond to emergencies.
"Our vehicles are fuelled using our own resources and are not dependent on forecourt supplies," he said.
Kent Police fleet vehicles are operating as usual but the force refused to tell the Courier if officers were being sent to service stations to make sure customers were behaving on the forecourts.
Another charity which runs a community driver services is Imago in Tunbridge Wells. Elizabeth James, director of corporate service told us: "Unfortunately, the fuel shortage has affected all our services within Imago.
"With Dial 2 Drive we have found that some of our volunteer drivers understandably are saying that currently they are not as available as normal. Not knowing how long this will go on for they are wishing to save their fuel for their own use and future emergencies.
"We have so far been able to honour all drives that have been already agreed and booked but it is the new drives we are having the problems with. We will of course prioritise medical appointments like we have had to in crisis situations before.
"We have also started to contact local petrol stations to see if we can have any priority with the petrol but with no luck so far. I do understand as we are not an emergency service."
A spokesman for Arriva, which runs buses in the Courier patch, said: "We’re currently not experiencing any issues with fuel provision for our Arriva bus services. We have on site fuel tanks at our depots and we have currently not had any issues with our refuelling deliveries."
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