Thousands of desperate drivers queue for petrol as BP and Tesco confirm closures

Queues of cars have been spotted outside petrol stations across the country as motorists fear supplies of fuel might run low, but government and petrol suppliers say the issue will blow over

Motorists have been panic-buying petrol and diesel this morning as news broke of forecourts closing.

Queues of drivers have been spotted at petrol stations in Brighton, Kent and Leeds.

BP, Esso and Tesco have closed small numbers of their petrol stations due to a lack of lorry drivers to deliver the fuel.

But drivers are being warned not to overreact and panic buy fuel.

A spokesman for the prime minister said the government acknowledged that there were “issues facing many industries across the UK, and not just in terms of HGV drivers”.

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He added that there was no shortage of fuel and that there was a “very resilient and robust supply chain”.

“People should continue to shop for fuel as usual,” the spokesman said.

BP said it had been forced to close a number of forecourts across the country because of the problem.

Tesco said two of the 500 petrol stations it operates are currently affected but said the impact is minimal.

Meanwhile Esso said a “small number” of its 200 Tesco Alliance retail sites – operated jointly with the supermarket chain and separate from the two run by Tesco itself – are affected.

But now reports suggest the Army could be drafted in to help ease the pressure.

Hoyer, one of the UK’s largest fuel logistics companies, revealed it was “struggling to meet deliveries”.

It cannot find enough tanker drivers to make fuel deliveries and was said to be typically 20 short of the 400 to 450 a day needed.