BP petrol stations in Havant, Emsworth, Portsmouth and Portchester shut forecourts as fuel shortage hits the Portsmouth area

A lack of HGV drivers has hit the petrol supply, causing BP to shut a ‘handful’ of sites.

Tesco has also shut a ‘small number’ of its petrol stations, which are operated by Esso, due to shortages.

The News contacted petrol stations across the Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport and Havant area this morning, to find out if there were any closures in our area.

Follow our live blog for all the latest updates on the fuel crisis in the Portsmouth area – as panic buying causes huge queues

The BP petrol station in Park Lane, Bedhampton, is out of fuel – while the BP site in Emsworth also has no fuel, but the rest of the petrol station remains open.

A few hours later the BP petrol station in Eastern Road, Portsmouth also closed its pumps as it ran out of fuel, while the BP in West Street, Portchester has also been reportedly forced to close this afternoon.

However the BP station in Commercial Road is still open as well as the one in Northern Road, Cosham.

The BP in Brockhurst Road, Gosport still has fuel and the one in Broom Way, Lee-on-the-Solent.

Although, a couple of the petrol stations did warn that they weren’t able to say how much longer they would have fuel.

The Transport Secretary has urged motorists to ‘carry on as normal’ and not panic buy petrol.

SEE ALSO: Cascades Shopping Centre in Portsmouth goes up for sale for £18m but is taken off the market straightaway

Speaking on Sky News this morning Grant Shapps said: ‘The advice would be to carry on as normal, and that is what BP is saying as well.

‘I’ll move heaven and Earth to do anything that’s required to make sure that lorries carry on moving our goods and services and petrol around the country.’

The issues around petrol supply, on top of problems in the food industry and rising gas prices have led to warnings the Government faces a ‘winter of discontent’.

A combination of factors including Brexit leading to the loss of European Union drivers, the pandemic preventing driving tests and systemic problems in the industry relating to pay and conditions have led to the shortage of qualified HGV drivers.

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