Review of grit bins after winter freeze-up

North Yorkshire County Council is carrying out a survey to establish if there is an adequate network of salt bins to ensure that rural communities can access grit supplies to try to maintain country roads affected by snow and ice.

The authority is asking residents, community groups and parish councils for their views to pinpoint locations where additional grit bins could be introduced.

The review is being launched after concerns were raised by the leader of the council's Liberal Democrat group, Coun Geoff Webber.

He said: "In my own area, and I am sure in others, many roads and footpaths in residential areas have been impassable during the last two really cold snaps.

"Whilst there simply is not enough money to extend the council's gritting routes, I am sure that, given the resources, residents would be willing to help themselves."

Grit supplies had to be removed from isolated rural locations in North Yorkshire and stored in secure council compounds during the winter to prevent critically low stocks from being stolen.

Meanwhile, repairs to York's crumbling river banks have re-started after initial work had to be halted during the severe winter weather.

Concerns have been mounting about the state of the banks of the city's rivers, and York Council announced in October that a major programme of work was due to get under way.

The repairs had to be stopped in January because of the severe weather, although the work has restarted this week.