Petrol in War -time On Tuesday Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd announced
the Govern- ment's plans for the maintenance of petrol and oil supplies in the event of war. It is welcome news that we now have suffi- cient stored reserves of these commodities to enable ordinary goods and passenger vehicles to remain on the roads. Although a rationing scheme will come into force as soon as war breaks out, serious dislocation of transport is not anticipated. The principle is the same as that of the coal-rationing scheme: the vital services must have a prior claim, but supplies are sufficient to allow ordinary traffic a reasonable quota. It is not thought probable that our imports of fuel will be seriously interrupted, and though the fighting forces will make heavy demands on the oil and petrol supplies, special arrangements are also to be made to meet the requirements of the civil defence services. The whole scheme has been worked out in such detail that 7,500,000 ration books and 35,000,000 petrol coupons are already held in readiness for issue. This is one of the most efficient and far-sighted measures of war- preparation which the Government have yet taken. It will avoid the serious loss of licence revenue which would result if owners laid up their cars because they could get no petrol, do much to maintain normal standards of convenience for the general public, and create the confidence which comes of the belief that if petrol-reserves are so substantial, reserves of other commodities may be so equally.
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