The Unite union, whose drivers haul the bulk of the country's gasoline and diesel fuel, has threatened to pull all workers off the job. Its members' concerns centre around job security, salaries and working conditions. No specific strike date has been set, and workers are obliged to give seven days notice before any strike.
Regardless of the advance warning that would come with a walkout, a government minister's warning that drivers would be wise to keep "a bit of extra fuel in a jerry-can in a garage" prompted a mad dash for the pumps that left some outlets low on supply.
The claim led the opposition Labour Party, which has aligned itself with Unite, to accuse the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government of fear-mongering. Many U.K residents also blame the government for handling the situation inappropriately, saying they were led to believe an emergency was imminent.
Gasoline sales were up more than 80 per cent Thursday compared to the day before, according to the country's Petrol Retailers Association. Long lines plagued some stations, while one retailer told The Associated Press that jerry-can sales rose by 600 per cent. Other stations reported running out of gas altogether.
While the country's overall fuel supply remains adequate, its retailers say they simply can't keep up with the sudden demand. Some are limiting how much fuel each customer is allowed to buy.
Police in the southwest part of England have gone so far as to ask stations to temporarily shut down after panicked drivers in that region caused gas prices to nearly double.
With files from The Associated Press and a report by CTV News' Tom Kennedy
