Salt stocks grow as councils try to avoid second winter of havoc

Yorkshire councils have insisted that they are prepared for whatever this year's winter weather has to throw at them, despite a national survey revealing some authorities have not yet received all the road-gritting salt they need for the season ahead.

Responses from 87 councils to a Local Government Association (LGA) poll showed 18 per cent had not been provided with all the salt they had requested and had average shortages of 1,700 tonnes.

The survey also revealed that 78 per cent intended to have more salt in stock this winter, with the rest aiming for the same amounts as last year when some councils struggled to cope with the worst winter for 30 years.

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LGA economy and transport board chairman Councillor Peter Box said that while authorities were making efforts to ensure they were ready, some suppliers had failed to provide as much salt as required.

"Although there should be a few weeks' grace before gritting is necessary on a large scale, it is not ideal that the suppliers are playing catch-up from the word go," he added.

Last winter's cold caused widespread havoc on the nation's roads and, once the thaw got under way, forced the LGA to write to the Department of Transport seeking 100m of emergency funding to help pay for repairs to some 1.6 million potholes caused by the freezing temperatures.

But authorities in Yorkshire yesterday said they were braced for an equally hard winter ahead, stock-piling many thousands of tonnes of gritting salt.

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Sheffield Council said it had stored 24,000 tonnes in preparation, with 4,000 tonnes waiting in a Cheshire salt mine if required, matching the 28,000 tonnes used last year.

Salt stocks have been increased by an extra 10,000 tonnes in Bradford to help ensure roads there remain gritted this winter.

The Council's gritting depots are now almost full, with 26,000 tonnes of salt available when temperatures drop.

Calderdale Council said it had started planning for the coming winter in April and now has 17,000 tonnes of salt stored at three depots.

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"That would usually be enough to cope with two to three normal winters," said acting head of highways, Dave Tee. "But, bearing in mind the extreme weather conditions that we experienced last year and the difficulties that all councils had in replenishing their supplies, we've ordered enough salt to cope in the event this winter is as bad as last year's."

Leeds has 19,000 tonnes in stock with a further 6,000 due for delivery in November, surpassing the 23,000 tonnes used between last November and February this year.

Barnsley, York and Doncaster all said they were happy with their salt stocks, having amassed 15,000 tonnes between them.

Rotherham said it has ordered 50 per cent more this year than at the start of last winter, with 6,000 tonnes at two depots.

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The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, said their survey showed about 10 per cent also had arrangements to import salt if needed.

Coun Box said: "Councils all over the country are responding by setting up more arrangements with neighbouring councils to co-operate on supplies, and have looked into foreign sources of road salt."