PETROL supplies across the UK have been plundered with up to 85% of independent service stations running dry - despite drivers being urged not to panic buy.
More than half of all service stations outside of motorways are now dry as Brits scrambled to fill up their motors.
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Up to 85 per cent of petrol stations have run out of fuel Credit: Stephen Huntley/HVC 5
Fights have broken out among drivers queuing at petrol stations across the country Credit: Ben Lack
Fears of a petrol shortage are being exacerbated by a shortage of HVG drivers, which is hitting fuel distribution.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps urged motorists not to panic buy fuel supplies as he stressed there is no fuel shortage, amid chaotic scenes.
But despite the pleas, violence has erupted at petrol station forecourts as drivers clashed at the pumps - turning on each other in chaotic scenes.
The government has tonight torn up competition laws in a bid to get fuel delivered to locations most in need.
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Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced the government is suspending competition laws to make it easier for oil firms to target supply needs across the country.
Ministers are also considering calling in the army to transport fuel supplies.
Trade body the Petrol Retailers Association, which represents around 5,500 independent outlets, said today 50 to 85 per cent of its service stations had run out of fuel.
Chairman Brian Madderson told the BBC the shortages were down to "panic buying, pure and simple"
The UK has around 8,000 petrol stations, most of them run by independent retailers.
Fuel giants BP revealed around 30 per cent of its service stations - many on motorways - “do not currently have either of the main grades of fuel”.
Following crunch talks with leading fuel industry bosses, Mr Kwarteng said: "We have long-standing contingency plans in place to work with industry so that fuel supplies can be maintained and deliveries can still be made in the event of serious disruption.
"While there has always been and continues to be plenty of fuel at refineries and terminals, we are aware that there have been some issues with supply chains.
"This is why we will enact the Downstream Oil Protocol to ensure industry can share vital information and work together more effectively to ensure disruption is minimised."
This weekend saw "frenzied" panic buying as the government was warned plans for solving the HGV driver shortage wouldn't stop bare shop shelves this Christmas.
EG Group, which runs 367 fuel stops under the BP, Esso and Texaco brand has slapped a ￡30 fuel limit so customers "have a fair chance to refuel".
Selfish drivers who filled up jerry cans with fuel have been blasted by other motorists.
On Friday night, four men traded blows in a shocking brawl at an Esso garage in Chichester, West Sussex.
Police said no arrests had been made as they appealed for information.
PETROL PUMP CLASHES
This afternoon, another fight broke out between moped drivers at a petrol station in Haverstock Hill, North London, as motorists struggled to fill up.
Meanwhile, two groups of men were seen "screaming" at each other before one group hurled stones as the other fled in a van at a Shell garage in Portsmouth, Hampshire.
The escalating crisis has seen police forced to marshal drivers at petrol stations after huge queues blocked roads.
Emergency services have been caught up in the chaos at petrol pumps this weekend.
Police had to jump ahead of queues at a garage in Hackney, East London, to avoid running out of petrol.
And an ambulance crashed into a car while trying to make its way through a line of queuing vehicles at a Shell station in Bromley, Greater London.
There is a shortage of 100,000 HGV drivers in the UK, according to the Road Haulage Association.
We do need to just ensure people are filling up when they need to fill up, rather than thinking I’d better go and fill up now just in case I need it next week or the week after
Grant Shapps
In a bid to ease the crisis, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has approved temporary visas for 5,000 overseas HGV drivers to help ease the crisis.
But today he admitted that the lorry driver shortage could last "years" despite government plans to train 4,000 more homegrown lorry drivers.
And he pleaded with drivers not to panic buy, stressing that there were no supply problems at the six refineries and 47 storage facilities across the UK.
Mr Shapps said: "It’s not like we don’t have fuel in the country.
"We do need to just ensure people are filling up when they need to fill up, rather than thinking I’d better go and fill up now just in case I need it next week or the week after.”
He has blamed trade body the Road Haulage Association (RHA) for triggering a "rush on petrol stations".
It's claimed someone from the RHA leaked comments about HGV driver shortages at fuel firms.
RHA spokesman Rod McKenzie blasted as "absolute nonsense" claims he leaked the details.
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Signs have been placed on petrol pumps warning drivers garages had run out fuel Credit: Reuters 5
Cops were forced to jump the queue for petrol at this station in Hackney 5
An ambulance tried to make its way past cars queueing for petrol
Brawl breaks out between moped drivers at London petrol station as tensions flare at the pumps during fuel chaos