Plans in place for possible tanker drivers' strike

Hundreds of members of the Unite trade union employed by two firms working on Shell contracts are due to walk out from 6am on Friday until 6am the following Tuesday in a pay dispute. Talks are being held at the conciliation service Acas over the next few days in a bid to avert the industrial action.

The Government said it was working with the wider fuel industry on what could be done to reduce any disruption to the public and business, should the strike go ahead.

A Downing Street spokesman urged people not to "panic buy" fuel. "We want the public to continue to buy as normal so as to avoid creating problems that might otherwise not exist," he said.

Contingency plans included allowing suppliers to share information about stocks without falling foul of competition laws. Fuel supplies to the emergency services would also be maintained in the event of shortages.