JOHN Watson, acting manager of Cable Taxis, in Bishop Auckland, has put his cab fleet on petrol alert during the current crisis.

Drivers are radioing one another when they find a station still serving petrol, and filling up spare cannisters with fuel to see the company through the drought.

Mr Watson said: "At the moment, it hasn't affected us. We are still managing to fill up. I don't know what will happen when it dries up though."

Cable Taxis has hospital contracts to ferry blood samples and x-rays from Bishop Auckland General Hospital to hospitals in Darlington and Newcastle. It also takes doctors on transfer to different hospitals.

Dwindling petrol supplies could affect the firm's ability to carry out these vital tasks.

"We are on 24-hour cover for the hospital," said Mr Watson: "If we get anywhere where we can get petrol in the cars we do, but we are always on the search for more."

But there is a feeling of sympathy for the blockades.

Mr Watson said: "I am all for this blockade. I think something should be done. I think Tony Blair needs to get his finger out and do something about it."

He predicts car users will turn to alternative transport means if the crisis deepens.

"There will come a time when nobody will have petrol in their cars and will want to taxi. Let's hope we have some fuel left to take them."