By Donna Bowater, 1:32PM BST 29 Mar 2012
Amid accusations that Government ministers had prompted panic by suggesting drivers stockpile petrol, police and fire services were called out to deal with the fall-out.
Labour leader Ed Miliband accused the Prime Minister of playing party politics with the threat of a strike, and called for an apology.
He said: "The Prime Minister is presiding over a shambles on petrol. In a delicate situation which demanded statesmanship, the Government showed partisanship.
"This is real life and ministers are out of touch with people sitting in queues as a result of their incompetence.
"Now the Prime Minister needs to get a grip and calm the situation."
One forecourt was closed by police in Southbourne, Bournemouth at 11am today after motorists argued over queue-jumping in a half-a-mile tailback of cars waiting to fill up.
Jason Babbe, 33, who was in the line of cars outside the Murco garage, said: "I queued up for an hour before I could fill up.
"While I was waiting I witnessed an argument between a taxi driver and another motorist and there were other rows going on with people taking pictures of each other on their mobile phones.
"As well as filling up their tanks people were filling up cans with petrol."