PANIC buying at a filling station in Okehampton on Tuesday led to customers being limited to £15 of unleaded fuel per person. Barton Filling Station at Mole Avon on Exeter Road had to introduce the restriction following an extremely busy day of trading amid fears that planned blockades by fuel protesters could create shortages within days. A member of staff at the filling station said the limitation had been forced in reaction to the response to queuing motorists. ?They have been panic buying for no reason. We have had more than double the number of people we would normally expect.? The member of staff said this was a temporary measure and a new delivery was expected yesterday morning (Wednesday). Other garages in Okehampton saw a steady stream of motorists pulling onto the forecourt to fill up their tanks. The Shell Garage at Sourton Cross reported a ?busier than normal? day and White House Services, McCullock and Sons and the Exeter Road Garage in Okehampton were busy, but were not experiencing queues at the pumps. Five years ago, blockades of oil refineries by the fuel lobby caused widespread shortages and campaigners have vowed to stage similar action over three days this week to protest at rising fuel prices. The Department of Trade and Industry says the UK has enough petrol for 80 days. The Road Hauliers? Association, which represents 10,000 hauliers, is not taking part in the protest.
