The UK is facing more shortages. And this time, it’s fuel supply chains that are being hit.
A few weeks back, Nando’s was in the firing line as they ran out of chicken and restaurants up and down the UK had to close their doors. Then, McDonald’s experienced a shortage crisis for several of its most popular items, followed by IKEA with their line of mattresses. Now, petrol stations are the main source of havoc.
In light of these shortages, the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, has urged people to resist panic buying, stating that everyone should carry on as normal.
Just yesterday, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) issued a statement that read:
“There is plenty of fuel at UK refineries and terminals, and as an industry we are working closely with the government to help ensure fuel is available to be delivered to stations across the country.
“As many cars are now holding more fuel than usual, we expect that demand will return to its normal levels in the coming days, easing pressures on fuel station forecourts. We would encourage everyone to buy fuel as they usually would.”
So, what can you do in the meantime to get around these shortages?
We know there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to working around these shortages. Everyone’s circumstances are totally different, and lots of people rely on their cars daily for transport; especially those who live in rural areas and are burning lots of fuel on their hunt for more fuel! But the most obvious solution to evading the problem is to utilise public transport.
Regardless of where you live – whether it’s a tiny village hamlet or the bustling city centre – we believe that public transport should be reliable and available to all. Luckily, public transport systems have adjusted positively to life since covid, offering more appeal for passengers old and new as the fuel shortage takes hold.
We’ve partnered with many transport links across the UK – National Rail Enquiries, LNER and P&O Ferries to name a few – to offer real-time data, artificial intelligence (AI) and personalised journey planning that eases and streamlines the entire travel experience.
To ease any covid concerns, our one-of-a-kind data also assists in monitoring the risk of transmission on public transport. And with our patent-pending technology, we can tell passengers how busy a service or stop is likely to be and offer alternative, quieter routes if needed.
To put it into perspective, here’s a few things to consider if you find yourself without a car:
• Are taxis still running? Can you take a taxi to the bus or train station for your onward journey? Our First & Last Mile feature will get you from door-to-door, highlighting the steps for every leg of your journey.
• Can you car share or get a lift from someone to your closest bus or train station? Or is the station within walking distance? We can give you real-time alerts on which mode of transport will be the quickest for your personal circumstances.
• Is the privacy of car travel important to you? Our unique busyness data will let you know how busy the train or bus service is so you can avoid the crowds.
• Is the freedom of car travel crucial to your journey? We know it’s easier to jump in the car whenever your shift ends or you’re ready to drive home for the day. But to make the use of public transport much simpler, we offer features such as live routing around delayed services, weather-dependant routes, accessibility information and loyalty rewards. We even include toilet and parking information so that every stage of your journey is covered!
Our goal is to make travel easy, safe and stress-free for every passenger and to react and respond to the individual needs of everyone. This level of personalisation is set to drive transportation both now and in the future, and it’s the perfect solution to crisis’ such as this – assisting those who really need it.
Set your journeys up with Zipabout on Messenger or WhatsApp – no need to download an app!
