Fuel supplies drop by half as travellers head off on Easter breaks

Supplies of petrol and diesel at filling stations in some areas of the country are running at around half their usual level as the UK’s travel network came under pressure ahead of the Easter getaway, new figures suggest.

Petrol stock levels at garages in eastern England averaged 19% as of 10 April, with south-east England recording 21% and London 22%, a drop from the pre-pandemic average of 40%.

The figures have been published by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and are based on snapshots of petrol and diesel levels from a sample of around 4,700 filling stations across Britain.

It comes as travellers using airports, train stations and roads were left waiting for hours in long queues on Thursday.

Delays were seen on motorways, with 27.6 million car journeys expected to take place over the bank holiday weekend.

Diesel stocks have also dropped in recent days, averaging 23% at filling stations in eastern England as of 10 April , compared with a pre-pandemic level of 48%.

In London, diesel stock levels have dropped to 24%, down from 46% pre-pandemic, while in south-east England they have fallen to 26%, down from 47%.

The average price of a litre of unleaded petrol stood at 161.8p as of April 11, slightly below the recent record of 165.4p, while diesel was 176.2p, below the recent record of 177.5p.

During the fuel shortages at the end of September last year, petrol supplies fell as low as 12% in eastern England and the South East, and 13% in London.

While climate activists have been causing some disruption to the fuel industry, the Fuel Retailers Association - which represents independently owned forecourts in the UK - said “the majority are unaffected” by the activism.

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RAC traffic spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Although we’re expecting the biggest number of Easter getaway trips by car tomorrow - around 4.6m - it’s clear some drivers are keen to make an early escape ahead of the bank holiday.

“As well as the closure of the coastbound M20 for Operation Brock Zero, earlier collisions are causing problems on the south-eastern M25 and roads connecting with it, as well as on the A303 in Wiltshire.

“From a breakdown perspective, we’re seeing high demand for our service across northern England, especially around the Lake District, as well as the coastal areas of West Wales.”

Manchester Airport said passengers are advised to arrive three hours before their flight and double check their hand luggage.

Meanwhile, those at Birmingham Airport told of waiting in hour-long queues for security, despite paying £4-per-person for fast-track services.

Dozens of British Airways and EasyJet flights to and from Heathrow and Gatwick were also cancelled.

Rail passengers have also been warned of delays as Network Rail carries out 530 engineering projects costing a total of £83 million.

This includes the closure of the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Milton Keynes for four days from Good Friday due to upgrades of the existing line and HS2 work.

Parts of the railway between Birmingham International station and Coventry will also be closed, as will lines around Crewe station.