Petrol shortages in France because of strikes

Motorhomers heading for France are being warned to make sure they fill up before leaving Britain because industrial action has caused fuel shortages at hundreds of petrol stations. The situation has occurred this week in response to the French government forcing through unpopular reforms to the labour market without putting it to a vote in the lower house of the French parliament.

The problem started when workers at petrochemical company Total voted to stop production at three refineries in Normandy, Donges and Feyzin. Added to this, Total’s refinery at Grandpuits was blockaded by protesters causing a reduction in output.

News of the halt in production and the blockade caused panic buying at petrol stations in the west of France, with the result that an estimated 317, out of 2,200 petrol stations operated by Total, had completely run out of all, or one type, of fuel by Saturday, 21 May. Total petrol stations amount to one in every five in France.

The run on petrol in the northwest meant that forecourts had to start imposing restrictions on the amount of fuel each vehicle could take, in some places as little as 20-litre, or that the use of fillable containers, or jerry cans, was prohibited.

Francis Duseux, President of oil industry body UFIP commented, "We are not in shortage at country level even if, locally, especially in the Great West, some stations may be out of stock. Products are available and we are doing our best efforts to supply networks."

Find your perfect motorhome with our Motorhome For Sale Finder.

Check out our online Store for back issues, subscriptions and readers' offers.