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Bad weather blamed for Uist filling stations running out of petrol

News imageBBC A filling station in Uist on a wet day, There is a row of pumps and a paper notice wrapped around one that says "out of order".BBC
Filling stations in Uist in the south of the Western Isles could be resupplied later on Tuesday

Filling stations in Uist in the Western Isles ran out of petrol over the weekend with the supplier blaming bad weather for hampering deliveries.

Certas Energy said its ship was unable to berth in Loch Carnan in South Uist to replenish stocks last week.

Uisdean Robertson, transportation and infrastructure chairman with islands authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, said fuel could have been taken by road tanker from Lewis.

He said district nurses and home carers had raised concerns with the comhairle about having enough fuel to make their rounds. A petrol tanker has now arrived in Uist.

Robertson said two filling stations in North Uist ran out of petrol on Saturday and a larger station in Benbecula on Sunday.

Diesel supplies were not thought to have been so badly affected.

He added: "There has been a lot of concern expressed mainly by district nurses and home carers.

"They do a significant amount of mileage between Eriskay and Berneray."

News imageA map showing Scotland and the locations of Inverness, Lewis and Harris, North Uist, South Uist and Benbecula.

The comhairle held an emergency meeting on the situation on Monday night.

Robertson said fuel could have been taken south by road from Stornoway in Lewis and then across the Sound of Harris by ferry, or by boat from Skye.

He said ferry operator CalMac had "bent over backwards" to offer assistance.

The comhairle said a tanker carrying petrol arrived in Uist on Tuesday afternoon.

A spokesperson said: "Certas Energy, CalMac and the Western Isles Emergency Planning Coordinating Group have been working closely together to resolve the issue.

"Comhairle nan Eilean Siar's care at home service has temporarily amended staffing schedules in Uist to account for the issue.

"The service appreciates the flexibility being shown by service users and staff at short notice."

 Earlier, Certas Energy said it was trying to get supplies to the isles.

A spokesperson said: "Poor weather prevented our tanker from being able to discharge at Loch Carnan, and strong winds have also led to cancelled inter-island ferries and delays to fuel deliveries to Uist.

"We are working hard with partners and suppliers to ensure fuel can be delivered later this week, to restore full operations as quickly as possible."