Forecourts in Scotland and Northern England, whose fuel supplies come from the Grangemouth refinery in Scotland, managed to maintain availability despite the site shutting down for over a week during the recent industrial dispute.

PRA chairman Brian Madderson said: "The PRA issued early advice to forecourts suggesting they gradually increase holding stock levels and this was heeded in most areas.

"It is also clear that motorists maintained their usual buying patterns as there were no signs of the panic buying which caused so much distress to consumers and businesses in March 2012.

In the dispute between the Unite union and the site’s owner, Ineos, the company shut the site down and announced liquidators would be appointed for the petrochemicals plant alongside the refinery.

The dispute ended when the union agreed a ’no strike’ deal for three years, and changes to pay and pensions, and Ineos agreed to invest £300m to modernise the site.