Petrol station shortages: Which Liverpool areas are most likely to run out of fuel

There are about 4,150 petrol stations across the UK, according to Government figures, but they are not equally spread.

As a whole, Liverpool has an average number of petrol stations compared to the rest of the country, with just two constituencies having fewer than the median number for the country.

Using official figures from the Departmental Business Register we have put together a list and interactive map of which areas in the region have the most and fewest petrol stations.

In Liverpool, Wirral West and Walton are the only constituencies that fall below the national average of six, with two or fewer petrol stations in those areas.

While Bootle, St Helens North and St Helens South are all above the national average and have the most in the region, with between eight to 12.

The number of petrol stations in Liverpool

Number of petrol stations in each Liverpool constituency, rounded to the nearest five:

Birkenhead: 3 to 7

Bootle: 8 to 12

Garston and Halewood: 3 to 7

Knowsley: 3 to 7

Liverpool Riverside: 3 to 7

Walton: 2 or fewer

Wavertree: 3 to 7

West Derby: 3 to 7

Sefton Central: 3 to 7

Southport: 3 to 7

St Helens North: 8 to 12

St Helens South and Whiston: 8 to 12

Wallasey: 3 to 7

Wirral South: 3 to 7

Wirral West: 2 or fewer

Which areas could be most at risk of shortages?

Is there a petrol shortage in the UK?

There is no shortage of petrol but there is a shortage of HGV drivers .

Motorists have been urged not to panic-buy fuel.

BP said a “handful” of its filling stations had closed due to a lack of fuel, and Esso owner ExxonMobil also said a “small number” of its Tesco Alliance petrol forecourts had been impacted.

Edmund King, the AA’s president, said: “Fridays and the weekend always tend to be busier on forecourts as drivers either combine filling up with shopping runs, prepare for weekend trips or refuel for the start of the new working week.

“Drivers should not fill up outside their normal routines because, even if the occasional petrol station is temporarily closed, others just down the road will be open.”

Where have spending caps been imposed?

Drivers are being hit with a £30 fuel limit at hundreds of petrol stations across the UK amid as garages run out of fuel.

Panic buyers have been queuing at garages around the country in a race to fill up their tank.

The EG Group, which runs around 400 petrol stations across the UK under the BP, Esso and Texaco brands, has imposed a limit of £30 per customer to ensure everyone has a “fair chance to refuel”.

The group confirmed that the emergency services and lorry drivers would not be affected by the price cap.

A spokesperson said: “Due to the current unprecedented customer demand for fuel and associated supply challenges we have taken the decision to introduce a limit of £30 per customer on all of our grades of fuel.

“This excludes HGV drivers and emergency services due to their vital role at this time. “This is a company decision to ensure all our customers have a fair chance to refuel and to enable our sites to carry on running smoothly.

“We kindly ask everyone visiting our sites to treat our colleagues, supply chain partners and customers with respect during these very challenging times.

“All of EG Group’s UK sites remain open and operational to serve customers.”

A full list of petrol stations run by the EG Group’s petrol stations across the UK is available to view online.

How can I find the cheapest petrol near me?

There are various comparison websites which will tell you where you can buy the cheapest petrol in your area, such as this tool by Confused.com.

Department for Transport (DfT) response

The DfT has anounced measures to tackle the fuel crisis.

-       Up to 4,000 people will be trained as new HGV drivers to help tackle skills shortages and support more people to launch careers within the logistics sector.

-       Package of measures includes using Ministry of Defence driving examiners to help increase immediate HGV testing capacity by thousands over the next 12 weeks.

-       Nearly 1 million letters to be sent to all drivers who currently hold an HGV driving licence, encouraging them back into the industry.

-       5,000 HGV drivers will be able to come to the UK for three months in the run-up to Christmas, providing short-term relief for the haulage industry.

-       A further 5,500 visas for poultry workers will also be made available for the same short period, to avoid any potential further pressures on the food industry.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “This package of measures builds on the important work we have already done to ease this global crisis in the UK, and this government continues to do everything we can to help the haulage and food industries contend with the HGV driver shortage.

“We are acting now but the industries must also play their part with working conditions continuing to improve and the deserved salary increases continuing to be maintained in order for companies to retain new drivers.

“After a very difficult 18 months, I know how important this Christmas is for all of us and that’s why we’re taking these steps at the earliest opportunity to ensure preparations remain on track.”