Motorists in Crawley faced significant disruption at petrol stations over the weekend of 5-6 April 2026, as long queues and blocked roads caused frustration for drivers across the region.
The local shortages have led to chaotic scenes at forecourts, with reports of near-conflicts among drivers desperate to secure fuel. The issue is affecting a wide area of West Sussex, forcing many residents to travel to Crawley from nearby towns like Horsham in an attempt to fill their tanks. One Horsham resident, Kimberly Rainey, reported visiting eight different petrol stations in her area only to find them all closed.
In response to the difficulties, local residents have turned to community resources such as the Fuel Updates Sussex & Surrey Facebook group to share real-time information on which stations still have supplies available.
These supply concerns are linked to the ongoing war in Iran, which has resulted in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This critical waterway typically handles 20 per cent of the world’s oil supplies, and the International Energy Agency has described the resulting situation as the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.
The strain on the supply chain has contributed to a sharp rise in fuel costs. In late March 2026, average petrol prices in the UK rose above 150p per litre for the first time in nearly two years, while diesel prices reached between 177p and 187p per litre.
While industry groups, including Fuels Industry UK and the Petrol Retailers Association, have maintained that fuel supplies are flowing normally and urged motorists not to change their usual buying habits, some major retailers such as Asda have acknowledged surging demand and dry pumps at certain locations. The UK government maintains that the country has a diverse and resilient fuel supply.
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