The Isle of Wight’s only fuel storage depot will close in less than 2 weeks’ time, it has been confirmed – but what does this mean for motorists, homeowners and businesses?
Isle of Wight Fuels Ltd. ‘keeps the Island running’ by providing homes and businesses with vital heating oils, as well as supplying petrol and diesel for filling stations, commercial operators and agricultural industries. However, the company will cease trading on 7th August and the depot gates will be locked.
Over 1.5million litres of fuel passes through the Kingston Road facility in East Cowes each week and the depot can store a total of 3million litres, providing a good level of resilience.
Once the depot closes – with the loss of around 15 jobs – the Island will be solely reliant on fuel being brought over by tanker on cross-Solent ferries, with no option to store a reserve. This means that any disruption to cross-Solent travel due to breakdowns, adverse weather or access could have a knock-on effect, as could fare increases and regulatory changes.
It is anticipated that around 18 trucks will be required on a regular basis to supply the Island’s fuel demand, which is in addition to the supermarket tankers already hitting the Island’s roads. This ultimately means a greater demand for space on the ferries.
For the past 18 months, supermarkets on the Island have been sourcing their own supplies which are delivered by road tanker. However, the smaller and more rural filling stations are still supplied by Isle of Wight Fuels and Certas Energy – and Certas get their supply from the fuel depot in East Cowes too. If supplies were to run low at independent stations motorists may be forced to fill up at supermarkets, which could, in turn, see supplies depleted there quicker than normal.
Local residents who rely on heating oil have raised concerns with Island Echo that they will potentially run out of oil during the winter months. In the future, the delivery of heating oils will have to be planned well in advance as mainland tankers will have to travel across to the Island. ‘Baby tankers’ are currently used to reach rural properties with tight access but it is unclear if this will be a service offered moving forward due to it being uneconomical to transport small amounts of fuel at a time.
Concerns have also been raised about availability of space on the ferries at the height of harvest. Farmers will now also be reliant on fuel being delivered directly from the mainland, although they are more likely to have room and means to store larger amounts of fuel.
The Isle of Wight Council has said they that do not anticipate any disruption to council or public services, including the emergency services. It is thought that the ‘backup’ plan is to obtain fuel from Island Roads’ store in Newport, but Island Echo is told that the fuel that Island Roads has delivered comes from the depot in East Cowes.
Isle of Wight Fuels also supply other commercial operations such as Hovertravel, Amey and the MRI scanner at St Mary’s Hospital.
A spokesperson for the Isle of Wight Council has told Island Echo:
“The council is aware of the likely changes at Island Fuels. We are working with the company to understand the situation and offer advice and assistance if appropriate and we do not anticipate any disruption to council or other public services, including emergency services.
“It is important to emphasise that a large proportion of the fuel sold at forecourts across the Island is already delivered direct by tanker from the mainland, with supermarkets in particular having their own supply arrangements.
“Those who use Island Fuels for deliveries of heating oil and other fuels will still be able to arrange deliveries from the mainland, as other suppliers do already cover the Island”.
A spokesperson for Certas Energy has said:
“We currently supply around a third of the fuel on the Isle of Wight across the various sectors. We are working closely with all of the relevant authorities and stakeholders to ensure continuity of supply for the whole island.”
A spokesman for Motor Fuel Group, the parent company of Isle of Wight Fuels (IOWF), has told Island Echo:
“Following a detailed examination of the trading options of IOWF together with individual consultation with all members of staff, Motor Fuel Group announces that it is not viable for the business to continue to trade. Accordingly, and with regret, the IOWF business will close on Friday 7 August 2020. No fuel deliveries will be made or customer orders accepted after this date.
“We would like to thank our customers for their loyal patronage and our staff for their professional and dedicated service.”
Council keeps allowing more house building. Can’t get Dentist, Doctors and now could run short of fuel, happy days.
As long as there is any patch of greenery still growing, they will see that as land for “much needed” housing! There should be a sign up at the ferry ports, saying “Welcome to the Concrete Isle”. Because that is what it is rapidly turning into!
This will likely kill a lot of old people should the Ferries, as they do, stop running in the Winter, due to illness.
A hard winter, for those elderly living in remote homes on the Island, could easily run out of oil, and it only take a short while to slip into hypothermia for someone weak.
The wealthy leaders of the council will be well stocked up, so likely they could not care less.
I expect they will add another charge on our poll tax for emergency fuel delivers next.
This will have a massive impact on the island.
Expect price hikes and some rubbish quality fuel at the supermarkets that were taking the island fuels.
Would somebody in authority please let us know why this has happened. Will the site be sold for housing I wonder and somebody somewhere making a fat profit.
This comes as no surprise – been on the cards for a while. Was told from a reliable source that when they started building houses on the east Cowes marina in the 90’s on their land that was was just the start. It was predicted then that from the folly inn to the chain ferry land would be acquired including eventually falcon yard site of the GKN (now Melrose) That site works will end up at the top clearing the way for demolition. When I mentioned this when I worked there I got laughed at. Well it’s all coming true. Nobody in authority will tell you anything. Wait for the eventual sell of the site. You’ll never get told the truth.
Sorry to hear this news.
Island Oils staff were always nice to deal with and would do everything to make sure households did not run out of heating oil. Doesn’t bode well for the island one way or another.
It begs the question “did RF see this coming?” as they’ll be the only ferry company with a ferry (Red Kestrel) that can carry fuel with no restrictions as it’s a freight only ferry. As for householder running out of domestic heating fuel that just needs a bit of forethought or a decent remote reading gauge.
Watch the prices Sky Rocket
Firstly what an excellent article this is, fully informed and absolutely specific on the facts. For sure there will be many issues occurring through the removal of an Island service. I’m not convinced the customers in the West Wight will receive the same service as now. For a start accessing remote sites requires a baby tanker to negotiate the tight turns. The IW Council do not understand the seriousness of this change as elaborated the back up plan is to obtain fuel from Island Roads?? Oh and yes what a prime site there is at the East Cowes depot for more housing!
They have got out while they can use covid as an excuse. The ridiculous rush to electric cars, which might be fine for cities, but will cause ll sorts of charging problems, mean they have seen the writing on the wall so have goyt out while they can.
Where is the Bridge ?, it is so needed now.
If it had gone ahead, there would be no problem getting fuel ove here.
Garn, we don’t want no bridge. Sooner freeze
No … YOU dont want a bridge, not WE. Speak for yourself.
That’s the ignorance the ferry companies take full advantage off. Speak for yourself not others
‘certas ‘supply third of the island,only problem is they get their fuel from iow fuels!
Council and half a sausage seely have known about this for weeks and done nothing!
If a utility removed someone’s source of heating there would be uproar but it seems not important on the isle of wight.
Wait till winter sets in !
Yet another reason for the ferries to be properly recognised as an essential service with all the legal protections and, ideally, subsidies that entails.
Only problem is that the next general election is still a long way off…
Can’t believe this is shutting brilliant service they supplied where’s the islands mp not interested
Now more than ever we need a tunnel
So many views from people with no knowledge of this supply system. For a while now all the fuel has been brought over by road tanker and the depot used to bunker the stock. Even when the barge was operational the depot continually ran out of fuel and again it was tankered over on ferries.
All that will happen is that a new site for bunkering Derv and heating oil will be found and the petrol will be brought over by tanker as it is now.
knowing the charges levied by the terminal this may even be a cheaper alternative.
This has slowly been orchestrated by the ferry companies by offering low rates for supermarkets, now all the fuel delivery is under their control whilst at the same time making vast profits. Be prepared for disruption