Several petrol stations in Dundee and Fife are introducing a £30 limit at pumps as customers rush to fill up.
Queues at petrol stations were seen across the country on Friday after a handful of forecourts said they would close due to a shortage of HGV drivers to deliver fuel.
Despite assurances from the government that supply levels were normal, many drivers have been rushing to petrol pumps fearful they could dry up.
Lines of motorists have been queuing at stations in Tayside and Fife, including in Dundee and Kirriemuir.
One dealer now says they will introduce a £30 limit on fuel due to the unprecedented demand.
Euro Garages, who operate several garages across Dundee and Fife say the measure is intended to give all customers a fair chance to refuel.
A Euro Grages spokesperson told The Courier: “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.”
The firm operates Shell-branded garages at Caird Park in Dundee, as well as two petrol stations in Glenrothes, Fife.
The spokesperson added: “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.”
The UK Government has announced a a temporary visa scheme to fix the lorry driver shortage.
Downing Street sources said the scheme, which reports suggest will temporarily lift visa restrictions for foreign drivers, is to be a “short-term solution” to ease pressure on deliveries in the run-up to Christmas.
It was reported up to 5,000 temporary visas could be granted for HGV drivers, with a similar number also made available for food processing workers.
But experts suggest the industry is short of about 90,000 drivers.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said there was “huge relief” at the prospect of a softening of policy on foreign workers being allowed into the UK to mitigate the issue.
It’s a shame the Government needed queues at the pumps to move
Director general Tony Danker told BBC Breakfast: “Hopefully it is going to happen and it is a huge relief.
“We’ve been calling for it for three months.
“We could see this problem coming and more problems coming, and so it’s a shame the Government needed queues at the pumps to move, but move I hope they have and it will help.”
