Traffic in Reading is at a standstill and buses have been delayed and cancelled due to heavy congestion caused by drivers queuing at petrol stations.

Drivers are experiencing severe delays in parts of central Reading and in Caversham as motorists queue up to get petrol, overspilling out of forecourts and onto the roads.

Traffic is at a standstill going over Caversham Bridge and A4155 Caversham Road is also experiencing severe delays.

READ MORE: Berkshire ambulance service pleads with drivers not to panic buy fuel

Delays are also reported on Reading Bridge, Richfield Avenue and Church Street in Caversham.

Reading Chronicle: Traffic map of Reading and Caversham. Red areas indicate heavy traffic [Google]Traffic map of Reading and Caversham. Red areas indicate heavy traffic [Google]

Public transport in the town has been severely impacted by the congestion, with Reading buses announcing that all Oxford Road services are expected to be delayed due to “cars blocking the road to access the Shell petrol station.”

Reading Buses also reported that its Little Orange 19c bus from Reading Station at 12pm has been delayed and that the Little Berries 27 service from Nire Road at 12.57pm has been cancelled because of heavy traffic.

Meanwhile, operator Thames Travel announced that its X39 and X40 services between Oxford and Reading would be delayed by up to 20 minutes due to heavy traffic in Caversham.

The government has urged motorists not to panic buy fuel this weekend as a shortage of lorry drivers means garages are not receiving as much fuel as usual.

The AA has also advised drivers not to “fill up outside their normal routines” as drivers around the country continue to queue this morning.

AA president Edmund King said: "There is no shortage of fuel and thousands of forecourts are operating normally with just a few suffering temporary supply chain problems.

"Fridays and the weekend always tend to be busier on forecourts as drivers either combine filling up with shopping runs, prepare for weekend trips or refuel for the start of the new working week.

"Drivers should not fill up outside their normal routines because, even if the occasional petrol station is temporarily closed, others just down the road will be open."

BP said a “handful” of its filling stations are closed due to a lack of fuel available, while Esso owner ExxonMobil also said a “small number” of its Tesco Alliance petrol forecourts have been impacted.