All articles by Hugo Griffiths
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OtherCOMMENT: The Fuel Finder fiasco is as disappointing as it was foreseeable
The words ‘government’ and ‘IT project’ are so frequently followed by ‘disaster’ that it is little surprise to learn Fuel Finder is already running into issues, with today’s scheduled registration now delayed until the new year – but the way this particular project has developed has nonetheless been wearisome.
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Equipment NewsNew WashTec rollover gains traction with major operators
A number of major forecourt operators are set to invest in a new rollover car wash system that features online connectivity, and 3D sensors for more precise cleaning.
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NewsFuel Finder misses first deadline: scheme delayed until January
The government’s £10m Fuel Finder scheme has already hit its first snag, after today’s scheduled registration launch was pushed back until January 2026.
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NewsMFG partners with Valero for the first time with trio of forecourts
MFG has announced it is taking fuel from Valero for the first time, having adopted the US firm’s liveries at three of its forecourts.
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NewsBP updates four showcase forecourt shops as it launches new retail strategy
BP has implemented a series of significant store updates at four forecourts as it seeks to tailor its roadside retail offerings to precisely reflect customer needs at individual sites.
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NewsEmployment Rights Bill set to pass into law: what you need to know
The House of Lords has passed the Employment Rights Bill, which now only needs Royal Assent – expected to be given this week – to pass into law.
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NewsBiswas family to install above-ground tank and jet wash at recently purchased forecourt
It was only this summer that we reported how the Biswas family, which previously owned forecourts around London, had purchased a filling station on a two-acre plot beside a main road in Norfolk; now, planning documents reveal what the family has in store for the site.
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NewsMFG poised to reopen main-road services following knock-down rebuild
MFG is set to reopen a filling station on the A10 following a knock-down rebuild that has comprehensively redeveloped the site.
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NewsTanker-driver strike set to bring “severe disruption” to fuel supply
A series of strikes being held by 400 tanker drivers employed by Certas is set to pose a Christmas headache for the forecourt sector and motorists alike.
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NewsMPs warn one-in-15 vehicles may don illegal number plates largely untraceable to authorities
Forecourt operators are all too familiar with the issue of fake and doctored number plates, which fuel thieves use to commit their crimes, but the UK’s vehicle registration system is so dysfunctional and open to abuse it represents a national security risk, an all-party parliamentary group has found.
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NewsPetrol and diesel car ban pushed back to 2040 in Europe
With sales of EVs way off government targets in almost all western markets despite heavy subsidies, European lawmakers are set to announce the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars will be pushed back five years, to 2040.
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NewsBP cancels break and bank holiday pay for forecourt workers
In what must be one of the more poorly timed leaks in recent years, a source from BP has revealed the oil major is cancelling bank-holiday working rates and paid breaks for every staff member at its 310 company-owned forecourts.
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NewsRAC says drivers are in for a “costly Christmas” due to a tank of petrol costing £1.17 more
The RAC’s latest instalment in its ‘Fuel Watch’ programme warns that consumers are in for “a costly Christmas on the roads” due to a tank of diesel costing £2.11 more on average than it did at the end of October, while a tank of petrol is £1.17 more.
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NewsDeveloper again seeks permission to reinstate forecourt after losing planning appeal
A developer who lost an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate to construct a new forecourt on a derelict plot that traded as a filling station 20 years ago has lodged a fresh application to put a forecourt on the land.
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NewsFuel Finder at risk of delay
The much-vaunted Fuel Finder scheme is at risk of being delayed, with a minister from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero saying there remain “a large number of technical issues to resolve”.
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NewsLeak concerns mean EG On The Move must commission contamination report before rebuilding forecourt
Authorities have granted planning permission for EG On The Move to knock down and rebuild a Telford forecourt, but the firm must conduct a contamination risk assessment for the site before works can begin owing to an historic fuel leak.
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NewsPublic chargepoints used just once a day on average
With many forecourt firms wondering if now is the right time to invest in EV charging, figures from mapping and data firm Zapmap indicate that on average each chargepoint connection is used just once a day.
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NewsMarket for public EV chargepoints comprises 477,000 people
While around 36.4 million petrol, diesel and hybrid cars need to fill up regularly with petrol and diesel, new data from the chargepoint sector indicates the market for public sockets currently stands at an estimated 477,000 cars.
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NewsGroceryAid rebrands to increase awareness
GroceryAid, the charity that offers support and advice to those working in the grocery sector, which includes forecourt staff, has undergone the “biggest brand refresh in its 168-year history”.
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NewsBP cancels plans for £4.5bn hydrogen plant as AI datacentre wins political favour
BP has abandoned plans to construct a new hydrogen plant in Teesside after the local council lent its support to an AI datacentre proposed for the same plot of land.