BORIS Johnson is being urged to give NHS staff and police officers priority access to petrol amid warnings the pump chaos could put lives at risk.
Unions are calling on the PM to set aside fuel stocks for emergency services workers so that they can carry on doing their jobs.
The British Medical Association said there’s a growing danger some healthcare staff won’t be able to get to “very ill patients at home”.
Its plea comes after an ambulance driver was abused by motorists for filling up after it took her two days to find petrol.
Meanwhile cops were forced to jump a massive queue at a service station in Hackney, East London, so they didn’t run out of gas.
No 10 stressed again today that there is “no shortage” of fuel in the country and urged people to stop needlessly panic buying.
A retired fire commander also warned motorists that filling their boots full of jerry cans can be dangerous.
Motor store Halfords revealed sales of such containers rocketed by a whopping 1,656% this weekend as Brits stockpiled fuel.
Read our petrol crisis live blog for live updates on the crisis
BMA boss Dr Chaand Nagpaul said the crisis is getting so bad “there is a real risk that NHS staff won’t be able to do their jobs”.
He said: “Emergency and essential workers rely on fuel both to travel to work and for their work itself.
“Whether this is to get to hospitals, practices and other healthcare settings, or for ambulances to reach people in urgent need of care and GPs to visit very ill patients at home.
“Everyone will have their own reasons for needing to fill up, but as pumps run dry there is a real risk that NHS staff won’t be able to do their jobs and provide vital services and care to people who urgently need it.
“While the Government has said it is putting plans in place to alleviate the shortage of HGV drivers to transport fuel, the results of this won’t be immediate.
“Healthcare and essential workers must therefore be given priority access to fuel so they can continue their crucial work and guarantee care to patients.”
One of the UK’s largest unions, Unison, said the Government must now “designate fuel stations for the sole use of key workers” like nurses.
Secretary General Christina McAnea said: “The Government has to take control.
“It’s no good ministers wasting time on a pointless blame game or pretending there’s no problem.
“Essential staff must be able to get to their jobs so they can continue to provide the services so many rely upon.
“Ambulance crews, nurses, care workers, teaching assistants, police staff and other key workers mustn’t be left stranded or forced to queue for hours simply to get to a pump.
“The Government could solve this problem now by using emergency powers to designate fuel stations for the sole use of key workers.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan echoed those calls.
He said: “As the current reductions in fuel delivery affect petrol stations across the capital, it is essential that key workers are able to get fuel to travel to work and provide the services our city needs.
“In the fuel crisis of September 2000, the government brought in rules designating specific filling stations for essential workers, enabling the capital to keep moving.
“The Government must urgently look at taking the necessary steps putting such measures in place, so that those key workers who have to drive to work can do so.”
Ministers and medical experts today moved to reassure Brits that there is no need to panic buy petrol.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society said deliveries of medicines for people’s prescriptions are carrying on as normal.
Its president, professor Claire Anderson, said: “People should order and collect their prescription in the usual way.
“We’re not aware that the problems with fuel supplies are stopping patients getting their medicines.
“If you have any concerns then please speak to your local pharmacist and their team, who will be able to help and reassure you.”
‘No shortage’
Environment secretary George Eustice said the petrol crisis will end as soon as people stop panic buying.
He said: “We have plenty of petrol. In refineries output is at normal levels, and we have plenty of petrol in stores.
“The most important thing is that people just buy petrol as they normally would. There isn’t a shortage.
“The only reason we don’t have petrol at forecourts is that people are buying petrol when they don’t need it.”
He also downplayed reports that the PM is set to bring in the army to start delivering fuel to service stations.
The crisis has been sparked by a shortage of HGV drivers.
Amid chaotic scenes brawls have even broken out at the pumps between warring drivers.
No 10 is pinning its hopes on the fact that most people who are inclined to panic buy will already have stocked up.
The PM’s spokesman said: “Should the public return to their routine behaviours of filling up fuel that will significantly contribute to ending the challenges we’re seeing.
“We completely understand public anxiety over this and will continue to do everything possible to reassure them there’s no fuel shortages.”
But industry bosses fear the fuel crisis could last at least another week and warned 90% of all service stations outside of motorways are now dry.
