Industry body the BRC has expressed concern to London mayor Boris Johnson about potential transport disruption during next year’s Olympics and Paralympics which could leave store shelves empty.

The organisation flagged the need for local authority delivery restrictions to be lifted to enable shops to restock their shelves overnight and asked for detailed road plans to be provided by the end of October rather than December as is currently planned.

BRC director Stephen Robertson said: “Time to plan and prepare is a crucial part of making sure businesses enjoy a successful Olympics and are able to provide a top-quality service to consumers.

 “The retail sector is always dependent on a good delivery network and that is even more true at times of increased demand. Retailers will have to make deliveries overnight during the Games in order to satisfy customer demand.

“We need to know the necessary steps are being taken to lift local restrictions, and to inform the public about what will be going on and why.”

The BRC was also concerned about the lack of a central point for information on road closure times and restrictions, which it asked to be made available from one source.