February 3, 1978

DON'T hoard petrol - and we might just scrape through this dispute with fuel to spare.

This was the message from some garage owners in Redditch as the tanker drivers' work-to-rule began to bite.

Others were more pessimistic.

Panic buying or no panic buying, they saw no way of keeping their forecourts open seven days a week if deliveries were delayed and supplies reduced.

Queues of petrol-thirsty motorists did begin to build on Wednesday, the first day of the tanker mens' dispute.

But drivers reacted differently in different parts of the town.

The majority of Britain's 10,000 tanker drivers are now banning overtime in an attempt to force their employers to improve a 10 per cent pay offer.