Drivers urged not to panic buy, as Keswick runs out of diesel

Garage owners in our region are urging people not to panic buy petrol and say there are no problems with deliveries here.Some forecourts in Cumbria have been running out of fuel but bosses say more is being brought in all the time. They are blaming any shortages on 'panic buying' from motorists rather than supply issues.Michael Gatty, of Hills of Corby Hill, said that half of the 12 garages he is responsible for in North Cumbria were empty at lunchtime today with the others running low.However Mr Gatty said that tankers had been arriving to make deliveries and that there had been no issues until Friday when there were reports of shortages in other areas of the UK.

He added that he expected the situation to improve once people had filled their cars. Meanwhile there were also shortages at the only 2 filling stations in Keswick. At Penrith Road, notices have been put up to warn of 'no diesel' with a number of the pumps out of use, and it is an identical story at High Hill.Staff at the Spar- which runs the forecourts - declined to comment further although had said a delivery was expected.