RUNNING EMPTY: Shortage of LPG fuel is STOPPING London taxi drivers working
Updated: Jun 6, 2021
A shortage of LPG fuel across London is stopping taxi drivers working according to frustrated cabbies who have converted to the greener fuel.
One taxi driver who spent £12,000 to make the conversion to LPG visited NINE garages this week in search of the cleaner fuel. The driver told TaxiPoint all of them could not currently get supplies of the fuel.
The driver said: “Unfortunately I can not go to work today because of the uncertainty of getting the fuel. I have a petrol back up but that is no good to me if I get stuck in traffic and no garages nearby.”
There are 24 LPG filling stations within the M25 and drivers with converted cabs running on LPG are increasingly finding that supply doesn’t seem to meet demand.
The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) have reported drivers contacting them to say even when they do manage to identify a filling station selling LPG, they frequently arrive only to find that the gas supply hasn’t been replenished.
Cabbies are then travelling many more miles to the next station again to find none available. To make matters worse, Shell has now stopped selling LPG on all its forecourts London wide.
According to the LTDA’s TAXI Newspaper some drivers use an app called myLPG.eu, which allows the user to check for the nearest LPG suppliers, prices and availability, whilst also enabling each user to add to and update the information. Although this app supposedly refreshes all received data every four hours to keep it current, it can sometimes prove unreliable and the information outdated, sending drivers to a station, only to be disappointed when they get there.
The LTDA say developers of the app are trying to rectify the issue, as well as adding direct phone numbers for each LPG filling station so that drivers can confirm the availability of LPG, before they make the trip.
An LTDA spokesperson said: “The LTDA along with UCG Rep Angela Clarkson and VRS (Gas Conversion Specialists) are also in communication with Transport for London (TfL), who are fully aware of the situation and the challenges facing drivers with LPG cabs.
“We are discussing ways to try to resolve this and find a long-term solution that guarantees adequate supply.”
