As the crisis in the Middle East continues to see oil prices across the world skyrocket, there are worries that the situation could become so bad that fuel in the UK may need to be rationed.

Whilst this is not something British drivers need to worry about in the short term, experts are nevertheless beginning to consider which places and people will be hit hardest should rationing need to be brought in.

According to data by MoneySuperMarket, there are five cities that will feel the fuel rationing worst in the UK as loclas have to drive further to work than others.

The city that could be hit hardest is Southampton with an average commuting distance of 20 miles. This is followed closely by Bradford on 18 miles and Glasgow on 17 miles.

Meanwhile, fourth and fifth on the list are almost tied with the average commuting distance of Cambridge 16.8 miles and that of Brighton 16 miles.

Aerial view of the city of Southampton Hampshire England [Aerial view of the city of Southampton Hampshire England]
Southampton could be one of the hardest hit by fuel rationing (stock)

Speaking about the impact of such long distances on commuters, insurance expert Alicia Hempstead said: Our research shows just how much difference your location can make on the amount of time that you spend in the car.

When you compare somewhere like Dundee and Southampton, some drivers could be spending up to ten times longer behind the wheel every day. Over a full year, that can mean noticeably higher fuel costs, more mileage and increased wear on your vehicle.

However, insurance experts arent the only ones commenting about the impact of regular driving on budgets with the International Energy Agency (IEA) issuing guidance suggesting that drivers should go slower to save fuel.

Despite the anxiety around fuel rationing, Labours energy minister Michael Shanks has insisted that drivers do not need to panic or make any major changes to how they drive.

A plume of smoke and a fragment of concrete rise from the site of an Israeli airstrike on the eastern outskirts of Tyre, in southern Lebanon [A plume of smoke and a fragment of concrete rise from the site of an Israeli airstrike on the eastern outskirts of Tyre, in southern Lebanon]
The war in the Middle East has caused oil prices to rise

Responding to a question on Times Radio about how drivers should act he said. "They should do everything as absolutely normal because there is no shortage of fuel anywhere in the country at the moment.

We monitor this every single day, I look at the numbers personally. Theres no issue at all with that.

Responding to a question about the panic buying of petrol, something that occurred briefly during the Covid-19 pandemic, he reaffirmed that drivers should not panic because there was no shortage.

He said: People should go about their business as normal. Thats what the RAC and the AA have said. Its really important people do that.

A DESNZ spokesperson said: The UK has diverse and resilient energy supply. We continue to work with partners on the international situation.