News

Prepare for a cold winter

Snow oil tanker
Forecasters have warned that a ‘big freeze’ could begin by early December – and we could be facing one of the coldest winters for more than a decade.
Temperatures are expected to drop significantly, and ice and frost are likely to cause transport problems and there will be a significant risk of heavy snow.
The Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) is urging homeowners and businesses who use oil for heating to get themselves prepared for winter now. 
FPS chief executive, Mark Askew said: “We launched a buy oil early campaign in September in association with the Government and consumer agencies, ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England), Citizens Advice Bureau and Consumer Focus but many people still haven’t heeded our advice.  
“Our members remind customers that they should order early, but people have got into a pattern of ordering the minimum quantity.   Customers have had a trend of ordering 500 litres and then running out in the middle of the worst weather, when tanker drivers just can’t get to them. 
“Demand is obviously governed by the weather and a prolonged cold snap, such as the Met Office is forecasting, means that the terminals are unable to provide product quickly enough and consumers can run out whilst waiting for deliveries as distributors have to go further afield to get supplies.”
www.fpsonline.co.uk