Motorists filling up with petrol

Press, 12 January 1987, Page 3

Motorists filling up with petrol

Christchurch motorists bought 20 per cent more petrol than usual at some garages at the week-end after hearing that petrol supplies were running low. On Friday an oil industry spokesman, Mr Kelly Griffiths, urged motorists nationally to stick to their normal petrol buying patterns until an overseas tanker arrived to replenish stocks on January 22. In Christchurch the petrol shortage is expected to last at least until the arrival of a tanker at Lyttelton on Wednesday. The’ owner of the Bea-

ley Auto Mart, Mr Murray Spackman, said yesterday that motorists had bought about 20 per cent more petrol than was usual for a week-end. “I was under quite a siege this morning (Sunday) and expect Monday to be busy as motorists back from their holidays refill their tanks,” he said. “Quite a few motorists have been asking me about the shortage.” A spokesman at the Fendalton Service Station reported an increase in petrol sales during the week-end but not to the extent of panic buying.

At the Oakland Service Station on Halswell Road motorists had made a few inquiries but there had been no significant increase in sales, said a spokesman. A Redwood Service Station spokesman reported no difference in the sale of petrol compared with other weekends.