Motorists are still having to search for fuel and join long queues at petrol stations despite assurances from a government minister that the crisis is "back under control".

Simon Clarke, chief secretary to the Treasury, said "there is enough fuel" and that now more was being delivered to petrol stations than was being sold.

He told Sky News: "That crisis is now absolutely something which is back under control.

"More fuel is now being delivered to petrol stations than sold, we're confident the commercial market can resolve this."

Meanwhile, the leader of Kent County Council Cllr Roger Gough (Con) has revealed the steps the authority has taken to make sure its services continue to be provided despite the delivery problems.

He said: “We are aware that the government is continuing to work to ensure fuel supplies meet customer demand at petrol stations around the country.

“Industry has also been clear that there is not a fundamental shortage of fuel in the UK and that localised disruption is easing as buying habits at the pump return to normal.

"However, we continue to monitor closely the situation across all parts of Kent.

“At KCC we have been focused throughout on making sure our essential services - including transport, education and social care - operate as smoothly as possible and prioritise our most vulnerable residents.

“We have been working with our care providers to ensure care continues to be delivered where it is most needed.

"This includes re-allocating home visits to staff based on where they live, as well as changing the times of calls to fit in with revised rounds. We have also encouraged bus operators to prioritise school, over off-peak, services.

“We recognise that recent days have been an anxious and frustrating time for many residents and want to reassure everyone that we are committed to protecting Kent’s frontline services.

“We continue to keep a close watch on the situation, have long-standing, common-sense contingency plans in place, and urge people to only buy the fuel they need.”

The availability of fuel continues to be an issue across Kent.

On the M2, as of 3pm this afternoon, none was available at the Medway Services, apart from for lorries on the coast-bound side.

And heavier traffic than normal was reported on the A28 in Birchington near the Shell petrol station, on the A259 in New Romney by an Esso and on the A26 in Tunbridge Wells in both directions near a Shell forecourt as drivers queued.

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