Fuel supply: Sadiq Khan calls for key worker petrol stations

Panic buying is leading to petrol stations running out of fuel

The mayor of London is lobbying the government to reserve petrol stations for key workers and black-cab drivers.

Fears of disruption to the fuel supply sparked panic buying, leading to long queues at the pumps and many petrol stations running out of fuel.

Speaking ahead of a speech at Labour's conference, Sadiq Khan said "some petrol stations should be reserved for those people that need fuel".

The government has said "there is no shortage of fuel in the UK".

The emergency services and Transport for London have enough fuel to continue working, Mr Khan said.

But he added it was important the government started limiting who can get fuel, "because we know over the next few days there will be a shortage."

Sadiq Khan said fuel should be reserved for those "who desperately need it"

"We're lobbying the government to do what they did in previous years when there's been a fuel crisis because of the shortage of fuel, to reserve it for those who desperately need it - black cabs, private hire vehicles, care workers and those who work at hospitals who can't get public transport."

"In the fuel crisis of September 2000, the government brought in rules designating specific filling stations for essential workers, enabling the capital to keep moving," Mr Khan said.

A Department for Transport (DfT) spokeswoman said: "People should continue to buy fuel as normal."

"We recognise the challenges facing industry and have already taken action. We are continuing to monitor the impact of these challenges on all parts of society."

In a joint statement by companies including Shell, ExxonMobil 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".

The Petrol Retailers Association has warned that as many as two-thirds of its membership of nearly 5,500 independent outlets are out of fuel. The rest are "partly dry and running out soon".

"People should continue to buy fuel as normal," the spokeswoman added.

"We recognise the challenges facing industry and have already taken action. We are continuing to monitor the impact of these challenges on all parts of society."

• Why are Britons panic-buying petrol?

• How serious is the HGV driver shortage?

• UK suspends competition law to boost fuel supplies

The UK has more than 8,000 filling stations.

The government is suspending competition law to allow oil firms to target fuel deliveries at petrol stations.

Temporary visas for 5,000 fuel tanker and food lorry drivers to work in the UK in the run-up to Christmas are also being introduced.

The government had been been considering using the Army to help out, but Environment Secretary George Eustice said earlier that the shortage of drivers was "not a huge problem".