Panic buying has hit petrol stations this morning and this afternoon, with queues at stations across England.
The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, had said that he would not rule anything out to resolve the problem, including deploying the army to drive petrol tankers, but played down the idea that loosening border restrictions would help.
Ministers are said to have drawn up a plan to put army soldiers on ‘standby’ in case they are required to drive petrol tankers in case of severe crisis that could potentially hit the country.
Answering a question on this on BBC breakfast, Shapps said: ‘If it can actually help, we will bring them in.’
Shapps told Sky News today that a handful of stations had closed entirely.
It comes as Petrol Retailers Association last night warned drivers to ‘keep a quarter of a tank’ of fuel in their vehicles in preparation for potential closures of local petrol stations.
“Out of BP 1,200 or 1,300 forecourts yesterday, they told me that five had to be closed throughout the country,” Shapps said. He added: “My advice would be carry on as normal.”
“These have been caused by delays in the supply chain, which has been impacted by industry-wide driver shortages across the UK, and we are working hard to address this issue.
“We continue to work with our haulier supplier to minimise disruption and to ensure efficient and effective deliveries to serve our customers. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Esso said that a “small number” of its 200 Tesco Alliance retail sites have been affected.
“We are working closely with all parties in our distribution network to optimise supplies and minimise any inconvenience to customers. We apologise to our customers for any inconvenience,” a spokesperson from Esso added.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was no shortage of fuel in the UK, adding: “We obviously recognise the challenges faced by the industry and we’re taking steps to support them.”
