Sydneysiders face weekend of travel uncertainty as petrol bowsers dry up, metro closes

Sydney motorists face a weekend of uncertainty as petrol bowsers go dry, fuel prices skyrocket and metro services grind to a halt, threatening to disrupt travel plans.

Energy Minister Penny Sharpe on Friday wrote to the major petrol companies to demand that an urgent stocktake be provided to the NSW government to allow for better contingency planning, requesting that chief executives hand over information on fuel storage and stocks, as well as sales and orders.

The state government has also requested information on future orders and forecasts.

By Friday afternoon at least 122 service stations in NSW were out of diesel, and 47 were out of all fuel, as independent fuel retailers and distributors in the regions told the government they were increasingly unable to secure fuel supply.

The federal government confirmed to state energy ministers on Friday that fuel deliveries into Australia continued to arrive as planned.

However, the price of fuel at the bowser has continued to climb. The national average for unleaded is $2.40 a litre, up 17¢ in just under a week, and the diesel average is $2.84 a litre, up 24¢ according to the NRMA.

At one Freshwater petrol station, diesel cost $3.04 a litre. The most expensive unleaded (91) fuel was in Lewisham at $2.89 a litre.

The state government says it is tracking fuel availability and making contingency plans for a potentially prolonged conflict in the Middle East. The world’s energy watchdog, the International Energy Agency, on Friday recommended that countries take measures to reduce demand, including working from home where possible, reducing highway speed limits and encouraging public transport use.

Sharpe said the state government was taking that advice into account as part of its contingency planning.

In NSW, the energy minister has the power to control the distribution of fuel to specific parts of the state, and can order suppliers to sell fuel to specific customers – but only if the premier declares an energy supply emergency.

Speaking on Friday morning, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said people should use public transport where possible to free up fuel for those who have no alternative to driving. But he maintained the state did not need a work from home edict, as has been implemented in Sri Lanka, where public servants are working four-day weeks to conserve fuel and gas.

“We will always keep our ears to the ground here about how changes in markets are impacting on people, and we’ll continue to provide the public with updates about what we’re seeing, but we don’t think we’re at the stage where we are needing to reintroduce any such mandate like a working from home policy,” Mookhey said.

It’ll be tough for many Sydneysiders to leave the car at home this weekend given disruptions to public transport and several major sporting events, including the Matildas facing Japan in the Women’s Asian Cup final at Olympic Park, with a live broadcast at Tumbalong Park in the city.

Metro services will not run all weekend to allow for conversion work on the Southwest line. Buses will replace services between Tallawong and Chatswood only.

A Transport for NSW spokesperson said line closures were planned months in advance and couldn’t be rescheduled despite fuel challenges.

“Any impacts to critical Southwest work could delay the opening of the new M1 extension, which is going to have vast economic and social benefits for the southwest and Sydney broadly,” the spokesperson said.

Eastern suburbs light rail services are also running at reduced capacity for maintenance.

Premier Chris Minns said the government would not “jump the gun” with fuel rationing, instead encouraging diesel buyers to take no more than needed.

The biggest concern is fuel availability for independent retailers, who are more vulnerable to fluctuations in the oil market than major players.

For Sydneysiders unable to avoid the bowsers, some are turning up to find service stations empty.

The screens normally displaying prices for fuel went dark at the Ampol service station in Neutral Bay on Thursday, and by Friday morning the station had completely run out of petrol and diesel.

Motorists swinging by hoping to fill up on their morning commute swiftly sped away upon realising all bowsers were out of order.

Easing demand is crucial before the Easter holidays, said the NRMA’s Peter Khoury, with some holidaymakers already changing their bookings to places closer to home.

“Regional communities are crying out for visitors. They’re being hit harder than anyone as a result of this crisis,” Khoury said.

The government has also launched a compliance blitz to crack down on misleading pricing.

Under state law, fuel retailers must register with FuelCheck and report price changes in real time, ensuring their displayed prices match what customers are charged. By the weekend, 190 inspections had been carried out and 13 fines issued.

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