Where can I get petrol? Restrictions explained, which stations are shut - when will more fuel be delivered?

Pressures on supplies are being caused by ‘temporary spikes in customer demand, not a national shortage of fuel’
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Boris Johnson is said to be considering whether to call in soldiers to deliver fuel to petrol stations as pumps continue to run dry after days of panic buying.

Multiple reports suggest that Johnson on Monday (27 September) will mull whether to follow that by taking the drastic step of sending in the Army to drive oil tankers as “frenzied buying” added to fuel supply issues caused by a lack of HGV drivers.

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Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has refused to rule out requesting military assistance after queues for the pumps continued across the country on the weekend.

Emergency measures were triggered on Sunday (26 September) evening, with Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng choosing to suspend competition laws for the fuel industry to allow suppliers to target filling stations running low.

But why is there a rush to buy fuel, and where can you still get it from?

Here is everything you need to know.

Why is there a fuel shortage?

Technically, there is not a shortage of fuel, but a shortage of HGV drivers available to deliver stocks.

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Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is hoping to solve the HGV driver shortage by creating 5,000 three-month visas to bring in extra hauliers to address delivery pressures.

The Cabinet minister told the BBC the move would fix the “100 to 200” fuel tanker driver shortfall, as he urged motorists to be “sensible” and only fill up when needed to help alleviate the queues.

In a joint statement from the likes of Shell, ExxonMobile and Greenergy, the industry reiterated that the pressures on supply were being caused by “temporary spikes in customer demand, not a national shortage of fuel”.

Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) chairman Brian Madderson – who described the purchasing rate as “frenzied” – told the BBC that the forecourt closures and depleted pumps were down to “panic buying, pure and simple”.

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He said oil companies were giving refill priority to motorway service stations, with one such stop-off point reporting a 500% spike in demand compared to last week as road users flock to fill up their tanks.

Where can I get petrol?

According to the Daily Express, BP and Tesco are the only two suppliers who are experiencing problems with their supply chain.

BP is the largest operator of petrol stations in the UK, but has said only “a handful of sites” have been temporarily closed

“We are experiencing some fuel supply issues at some of our retail sites in the UK and unfortunately have therefore seen a handful of sites temporarily close due to a lack of both unleaded and diesel grades,” it said.

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Morrisons have said its 338 petrol stations are not experiencing supply issues due to driver shortages, according to the BBC.

Co-op has assured customers it has a "full complement" of delivery drivers, to be able to supply the 130 petrol stations it operates.

Both Sainsbury’s and Asda have reported no issues in their supplies, according to the BBC.

Where has a £30 limit?

Some stations have imposed a £30 spending limit on fuel.

Lancashire-based EG group - which runs 341 petrol stations in the UK like BP, Esso, Shell and Texaco - has put a £30 limit across its forecourts.

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Heavy goods vehicles and emergency services will not be subject to the limit.

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