THE fuel crisis hit local garages on Monday, with Overmonnow Garage, the Wonastow Road Filling Station, County Garage, the Granada Services at Dingestow, all running out of petrol and proprietors unsure when supplies would be delivered.

Monmouth Police Sergeant Mike Gray said there had been evidence of panic buying on Monday, with queues of traffic forming on the Wonastow Road and the A40 near the Gibraltar Tunnels and the Wye Bridge traffic lights.

"Fortunately, no significant problems resulted. Once the local fuel stocks were exhausted, the traffic congestion dispersed," he said.

Raglan Ford Garage was one of the last local garages to have a supply of unleaded petrol and there were queues stretching back to the Raglan roundabout from 7.30 on Monday and Tuesday mornings as desperate motorists rushed to fill up - the pumps finally ran dry by Tuesday lunchtime.

Owner Nigel Watkins, said they had rationed customers to £10 of fuel. He had been told that even if the crisis were resolved immediately, it would be next Tuesday before deliveries would be made.

Rob Bishop, who owns Overmonnow Garage, described the situation as "a nightmare." Over the past few months he has collected between 3,000-4,000 signatures, some from as far afield as Derbyshire and Lancashire, but the majority from local motorists, urging Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown to reduce tax on petrol and diesel. He presented the petition to Monmouth MP Huw Edwards on Wednesday morning.

Mr Bishop said there appeared to be evidence of panic buying of food, with one customer buying 14 loaves from the garage shop on Tuesday morning.

Monmouthshire County Council has announced a number of measures taken to conserve stocks of fuel during the shortage.

Chief Executive Joyce Refearn said: "Like most large organisations we have enough diesel for a few days but we have taken action to concentrate those supplies on our most essential services. We are sorry for the inconvenience this may cause but are sure the public will see this action as being sensible and necessary under the circumstances."

With Social Services, the Council is concentrating on those living in their own homes who are dependent on regular visits. Day Care and Residential Homes will continue to operate as normal.

The Council is endeavouring to keep schools functioning as normal and parents will be contacted by their local school with any relevant information.

The Council also expects to be able to continue to collect refuse for the rest of the week but rubbish will have to be stockpiled as the private disposal company has enough fuel only to last for another day. All civic amenity sites in the county closed on Tuesday.

All non-essential fuel use has been stopped and other areas of disruption are expected to be with highways and maintenance works where jobs will have to be suspended as plant and equipment run out of fuel. Cleansing is also expected to be hit, with mechanical sweepers used sparingly.

Ms Redfearn said: "We will be reviewing the situation on a daily basis and will do everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum. Our staff are proving very resourceful in this respect by car sharing, cycling and walking to work. Anyone having concerns over an essential service should telephone their normal contact number or County Hall switchboard on 01633 644644. "

A spokesperson for Stagecoach said local bus services were operating normally at present but they would be monitoring the situation.