Brexit and the virus pandemic have caused shortages of a number of goods in the UK. As a result, hundreds of Britons panicked about fuel tanks, fearing the country’s gas stations would run out.

But it’s not the lack of fuel that’s the problem – the lack of drivers to transport gasoline to the station.

Now Prime Minister Boris Johnson is considering using the military to run fuel for pumps, some British media wrote. This will be part of the “Operation Escalin” contingency plan, which will secure fuel in times of crisis.

Johnson and a number of other ministers will meet to discuss the plan on Monday, according to Financial time.

Empty station

Britain has about 8,000 gas stations, the paper said. Most are run by independent franchisees.

Oil company BP had previously announced that a third of their stations had run out of the two most important classes of fuel.

In addition, the trade association of the Gasoline Retailers Association has announced that between 50 and 90 percent of their members are vacant, writes Security.

Setting aside competition law

British media previously reported that the fuel sector had overridden competition laws, so players could work together to fill the country’s dry gas stations.

This weekend, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps came out to confirm that there was “more than enough” fuel at the refineries, and said Britain had to be “reasonable”.

“The most important thing is that people actually continue to walk as usual and fill their cars as usual, so there are no queues, and also they don’t want to be short at gas stations,” he told Sky News.