THE transport secretary has advised motorists to "carry on as normal" after BP closed a "handful" of its forecourts and queues formed outside some UK petrol stations. 

A "small number" of Tesco filling stations have also been impacted, according to Esso owner ExxonMobil.  

Filling stations across Somerset are busy and Sainsbury's - who operate several across the county - say they are experiencing "high demand for fuel". 

In Langport, one ESSO filling station has closed to the public, but it is expecting a delivery tonight. 

The transport secretary has tried to dissuade drivers from 'panic buying' petrol. 

Grant Shapps MP told Sky News today: "The advice would be to carry on as normal, and that is what BP is saying as well.

"As of last night, five petrol stations on the BP network out of 12 or 13 hundred were affected.

"I’m meeting this morning with Tesco and I’m sure they’ll give me the update for themselves."

Senior ministers are understood to be meeting today to discuss possible solutions to the shortage of HGV drivers.

Rod McKenzie of the Road Haulage Association said: "We have got a shortage of 100,000 (drivers). 

"When you think that everything we get in Britain comes on the back of a lorry, whether it’s fuel or food or clothes or whatever it is, at some point, if there are no drivers to drive those trucks, the trucks aren’t moving and we’re not getting our stuff." 

Here is what some of Somerset's petrol stations looked like on Friday, September 24…

Sainsbury's, Hankridge Farm, Taunton

The filling station at Sainsbury's Hankridge Farm supermarket was busy when these photographs were taken at 11:40am, and two unleaded petrol pumps had 'Sorry, out of use' signs on them. 

A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: "We’re experiencing high demand for fuel and some pumps at our Hankridge Farm petrol filling station are temporarily closed.  

"All our sites are receiving more fuel and we’ll reopen the pumps again as soon as possible. We’re sorry for the inconvenience this may cause."

Some cars had to queue next to the car wash while they waited for pumps to become available but, generally, cars were moving through the forecourt smoothly. 

Sainsbury's, Gravenchon Way​, Street

There have been long queues outside Sainsbury's Street superstore today with cars spotted waiting on the other side of a mini-roundabout to access the filling station. 

ESSO Shires Garage, Somerton Road, Langport

While other filling stations have been hit with long queues and delays, an ESSO garage on Somerton Road, Langport, has had to close to the public today - but the station has held diesel back for emergency service vehicles. 

Shires Garage is expecting a delivery from ESSO tonight.

ESSO, Wirral Park Road, Glastonbury

Our reporter in Glastonbury has captured footage of the line of cars, vans and motorcycles all waiting to fill up at an ESSO garage. 

Watch the video here: 

BP, Deane Gate Avenue, Taunton

Other stations in the county have been less seriously affected by the disruption. 

BP reportedly told the government last week that the company was struggling to get fuel to its forecourts.

Yesterday, BP said it had closed a “handful” of its petrol forecourts due to a lack of available fuel.

It seems that BP's problems have not reached Taunton. 

When this photograph was taken at around 11:30am, there were several pumps available and no significant queue for fuel. 

Tesco East Reach Esso Express, Taunton

ExxonMobil have said that a "small number" of Tesco petrol stations have been impacted by fuel shortages.

At the Tesco Express store in East Reach, there were no queues to report as of 11:20am and all of the pumps seem to be in full working order. 

Asda, Creechbarrow Road, Taunton

The petrol station at Asda was busy, with all of the pumps in use and a five-car queue at 11:50am, but there was no sign of shortages or out-of-order pumps. 

Speaking about fuel shortages, Mr Shapps said: "Asda, Morrisons and other supermarkets are saying they have no problems, as have other petrol companies.”

Sainsbury's, The Clink, Bridgwater

Things are looking a little busier in Bridgwater, where motorists are queuing at a Sainsbury's Superstore's filling station. Here is how it looked this afternoon at 3:30pm: 

The AA has said that most of the UK’s forecourts are working as they should amid worries over the supply of petrol. 

“There is no shortage of fuel and thousands of forecourts are operating normally with just a few suffering temporary supply chain problems,” said AA president Edmund King.

“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.

“It is now clear that there have been occasional delays over recent weeks that have been managed with hardly anyone noticing. This was a manageable problem.”

Have you seen any long queues for fuel, or even been unable to fill up, in Somerset?

Let us know or send in your photographs by emailing tom.leaman@newsquest.co.uk or by filling in the form below.