Supermarket pumps run dry in Northampton, Wellingborough and Kettering as climate change blockades spark petrol panic

Drivers are being accused of panic buying fuel after supermarket pumps ran dry over the weekend.

Social media posts on Sunday (April 3) warned of some sites shutting down with no petrol or diesel in Northampton, Wellingborough and Kettering.

Tesco at Weston Favell and Mereway, Morrisons in Victoria Promenade and Kettering Road, Sainsbury’s at Weedon Road and Wellingborough were all mentioned as waiting for fresh deliveries.

One frustrated motorist posted: “People are panic buying again, it’s ridiculous.”

Those garages which did still have some fuel in their tanks saw huge queues as people tried to fill up.

Another poster said: "Just filled up at Westbridge about 11am. Be prepared for the pain though.”

Climate change activists claim their protests are the reason people are struggling to fill up as the Just Stop Oil group is “succeeding” in blocking supplies from terminals.

Seven distribution sites have been targeted by the group since Friday (April 1) with more than 200 people arrested.

ExxonMobil UK, one of the country's largest privately-owned underground oil pipeline distribution networks, said it had to shut down four of its sites on Friday and one on Saturday.

A video of an Insulate Britain activist over the border in Oxfordshire appeared on social media where he says “there currently seems to be a shortage of petrol.”

He added: “It seems as though many people are struggling to get their petrol, and that’s because we believe the Just Stop Oil coalition are currently succeeding in their aims to block supplies of petrol and oil in the UK.

“And this could stop immediately if the Government give us a meaningful statement that they are going to get on with the job of doing what’s right at this point in history and stop all future fossil fuel licences here in the UK.”

In September 2021, motorists ignored pleas not to panic buy fuel after oil giant BP revealed it was being forced to restrict deliveries because of a national shortage of lorry drivers.

Ironically, those filling up could be left out of pocket as some experts are predicting pump prices could fall by up to 8p a litre.