Thousands of petrol stations out of fuel across the UK as HGV driver visa plan criticised

The British Retail Consortium warned the decision to relax immigration rules to fix supply chain issues was “too little, too late” for the festive season.

A Shell petrol station in Bracknell, England. Picture: Steve Parsons/PA

Thousands of petrol stations have run dry amid “frenzied” panic buying as British ministers were warned their plan for solving the HGV driver shortage would not prevent bare shop shelves this Christmas.

The UK Government has announced a temporary visa scheme that will see 5,000 foreign HGV drivers and 5,500 poultry workers allowed into the UK on three-month contracts up to Christmas Eve in an attempt to keep supermarket shelves stocked with turkeys and tackle fuel delivery difficulties.