The Army is ready to help ease fuel supply problems after a fourth day of long queues and pump closures.
Up to 150 military tanker drivers will be trained up and deployed if required.
Many people went to fill up at petrol stations amid fears a shortage of lorry drivers would hit fuel supply – which remains plentiful at refineries.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “We are starting to see panic buying moderate with more grades of fuel available at more petrol stations.”
The UK is estimated to be short of more than 100,000 lorry drivers – causing problems for a range of industries, including food suppliers and supermarkets, in recent months.
Ministers have blamed scenes of queues at petrol stations and pumps running dry on people buying fuel when they do not need it.
Motoring group the RAC said the price of a litre of unleaded petrol has risen by a penny since Friday – and that it was aware a small number of retailers were hiking prices amid the soaring demand.
Meanwhile, there are mounting calls for key workers, like health and social care staff, to receive priority access to fuel where it is available.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said the move to place the Army on standby – meaning it is ready to respond to any request for support – was a “sensible, precautionary step”.
“If required, the deployment of military personnel will provide the supply chain with additional capacity as a temporary measure to help ease pressures caused by spikes in localised demand for fuel,” he added.
The BBC’s deputy political editor Vicki Young said she has been told an initial 75 military drivers would be on standby, with up to 150, and the same number of support staff, available if needed.
They require specialised training which takes up to five days, she said.
