There have been recent reports that several cities and towns across the UK, including London and Birmingham, have seen a wave of petrol station closures this weekend.

Petrol stations are now running out of diesel in parts of the UK after weeks of disruption at oil refineries in England. However, motoring experts at National Tyres and Autocare have urged drivers not to panic-buy fuel.

Petrol stations have been suffering from supply chain issues after climate activism groups Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion have teamed up to block key terminals across the country to protest the environmental effect of oil and gas.

Michael Bourne, Group Marketing Director at National Tyres and Autocare said “It is important for drivers to make sure their car is properly maintained during these turbulent times, especially their tyres.”

“There are multiple aspects of a car that can impact how much fuel you are using. For example, if your tyres are over or under-inflated it could have an impact on your vehicle’s fuel usage and the safety of your vehicle Not only can under-inflated tyres cause a reduction in tyre life, when your tyre pressure is 6 PSI below the recommended inflation, you use 3% more fuel.”

“Most drivers forget that if they are taking a journey with a heavier load than usual, you should increase your tyre pressure accordingly.” To top this off, if your tyres don’t meet legal requirements, you could face a fine of £2,500 per tyre and 3 penalty points on your licence”

Managing your tyre pressures with increased load is important as people pack up cars to travel over Easter. National Tyres and Autocare have pulled together top tips on how to check and find your tyre pressure.

How to check tyre pressure

Where to find your tyre pressure
Tyre pressures can be found in your vehicle’s handbook are usually stamped on the sill of the driver’s door and can sometimes be found inside your fuel cap.

Check the load of your vehicle
There will be different settings for fully loaded vehicles, so please remember to check these in your vehicle handbook, especially if carrying extra passengers or any additional weight, i.e. luggage.

Check your tyres PSI or Bar
Your tyres PSI (pound-force per square inch) or Bar (1 bar is equal to 14.5038 PSI) can be checked using a tyre pressure gauge, which we strongly recommend that you buy, or at a local petrol station where you fill your tyres with air.

Set your tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS)

In November 2014 it became law for every new passenger vehicle to be required to have a TPMS before being sold. Some vehicles manufactured in 2015 have a built-in TPMS, where the owner can set the tyre pressure for their vehicle. If your tyre pressure falls below the setting, you will be notified to add more pressure.