No need to panic over petrol supplies, UK motorists assured

Fears of a petrol shortage and hike in prices because of today's massive blasts at the Buncefield oil depot north of London were allayed by a leading industry expert today.

Ray Holloway of the Petrol Retailers Association said the oil industry had plans in place to deal with such an emergency, including the use of other depots in south east England to supply the Hemel Hempstead area.

He went on: “I understand the concern of motorists, but there is no need to panic. This site is strategically important, but not critically important. There will be no market effect and the oil industry will do what it does and manage this extremely effectively.”

He added that sites in Northampton, East London and Reading were among those that could fill the supply gap.

Despite the assurance that that there would be no petrol shortages, motorists did indulge in panic buying at service stations.

Mr Holloway went on: “It’s not just people in the Hemel area who have been indulging in panic buying. Motorists as far away as Croydon in Surrey have been at it.

“This is a self-inflicted misery. There are numerous alternative oil depot sources.”