U.K. government sees 'tentative' signs fuel crisis is easing

Britain's transport minister said Tuesday there are "tentative signs" a fuel-supply crisis snarling the country is easing, but it will be a while before the situation returns to normal.

The government has put army troops on standby to help get gas to stations and help ease a fuel drought triggered by a shortage of truck drivers.

"There are now the first very tentative signs of stabilization in forecourt storage, which won't be reflected in the queues as yet," Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said, referring to the situation at filling stations. "But it is the first time that we have seen more petrol actually in the petrol stations.

"As the industry said yesterday, the sooner we can all return to our normal buying habits, the sooner the situation will return to normal."

Many gas stations around Britain have had to shut in the past five days because they have run out of fuel. Long lines of vehicles have formed at pumps that are open, with tempers fraying amid hourslong waits.

The crisis has brought calls from heath-care organizations and teachers' groups for essential workers to be given priority for fuel supplies.

"We can't be waiting two or three hours in a queue for fuel when we have patients to see," David Wrigley, deputy chairman of the British Medical Association, told Times Radio.