UK: Soldiers to start driving fuel tankers in coming days

Britain’s business secretary says the government’s reserve tanker fleet is being deployed to help deliver gasoline to empty pumps across the U.K.

LONDON -- The British government's reserve tanker fleet was being deployed Wednesday to help deliver gasoline to empty pumps across the U.K., and military drivers will begin operating fuel tankers in the coming days to ease the country's fuel-supply crisis, a top official said.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said the first of dozens of troops trained to operate gasoline tanker trucks will start appearing on the roads within days.

“It takes, sometimes, a few days to get troops on the ground. We have decided to do that. I think in the next couple of days you will see some soldiers driving tankers,” Kwarteng told reporters.

He added that the government’s reserve tanker fleet, driven by civilian drivers, will begin providing “additional logistical capacity to the fuel industry" beginning Wednesday.