SW Londoner has collected its top five tips to help you in your fuel search.
As the fuel crisis continues, here are some ways to get petrol while trying to avoid long queues and more panic:
1. Do your research
It’s likely that you will have to look beyond the petrol stations you’re familiar with.
Google is your friend, as are simple searches such as: ‘petrol stations near me’.
We’ve put together a non-exhaustive map of petrol stations in south west London to aid your search:
2. Ask your neighbours
When looking for petrol stations, word of mouth is a valuable tool.
Your family, friends and neighbours are likely in the same situation as you and you may be able to help each other out.
If you don’t know your neighbours, don’t worry.
This crisis has seen communities organising to help one another, so check out the neighbourhood website NextDoor to get in touch with people living close to you: use the hashtag #sharefueltips to search existing posts, or make a new post of your own.
Some Whatsapp chats have also sprung up, with people around London sharing their successful and unsuccessful attempts to get fuel.
3. Call ahead
Call to check that the petrol station you want to go to is open and stocks the kind of petrol or diesel your vehicle requires.
If they don’t have what you need, ask when they expect their next delivery to be and turn up early.
4. Join a queue and be patient
Once you’ve checked with a petrol station that they’re open and have fuel, your best bet is to join the queue and stay in it for as long as you can.
Often, vehicles queue until the station runs out of fuel.
Orderly queueing can help speed up the process, but bear in mind it’s still likely to take time.
5. If you can avoid it, don’t go at all
This may sound obvious, but it’s worth repeating: only fill up if you really need to.
This will avoid creating long queues and further shortages for people who have no other choice.
If you need to get to a hospital appointment, you can try asking if transport can be arranged for you.
For your job, carpool or work from home if possible.
You could also take this chance to explore alternatives such as public transport, cycling, and walking.
As well as being healthier and more environmentally friendly, these travel methods may lead to discovering new areas of your neighbourhood, meeting like-minded people and maybe even finding a new hobby.
