A lack of grit

And, just as predictably, Ministers are trying to blame local authorities for the chaos on the roads rather than accepting their share of responsibility.

The latest utterances of Lord Adonis, the unelected Transport Secretary, are a case in point. After the cold snap in February last year, his department advised councils that they should always have six days of grit in reserve.

Most heeded this warning. The difficulty now is that the big freeze is now entering its fourth week – and there's still no sign of the mild winter predicted by the Met Office.

Of course, it does not help Britain's level of preparedness if the authorities rely upon such inaccurate long-term weather projections. They should have learned their lesson when the Met Office forecast last year's non-existent "barbecue summer".

But, seriously, a key point is being overlooked as town halls and Ministers blame each other for the shortage of road grit and salt, and how this is endangering public safety.

One of the justifications for years of above-inflation increases in council tax bills is the need for local authorities to prepare for civil contingencies – such as the Arctic-like weather that has ground parts of Yorkshire to a standstill.

And, while such prolonged cold weather is, indeed, a rarity, it does raise questions about whether this money has been spent effectively; questions that will inevitable resurface when authorities consider raising the next set of council tax bills to help pay for this emergency, and their state of readiness for next winter.