Winter freeze prompts plans for 6,000-tonne salt storage depot

THE East Riding could get a new 6,000-tonne salt storage facility as part of a range of measures to cope with increasingly harsh winters.

Last winter's big freeze, the worst in 30 years, and a severe cold snap in 2008 stretched East Riding Council's gritting service to its limits and the authority is now bracing itself for a repeat.

Despite building four new salt storage domes at depots in Beverley, Market Weighton, Carnaby and Hedon last year, the council is looking to significantly increase its capacity after a national shortage.

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The council would not say where the new depot would be located or how much it would cost, but it is warning of the potential of increased costs to its gritting service.

The cost of keeping roads open last year was more than 2m, way beyond the department's annual budget of 1.3m.

A report to the council's environment and transport overview and scrutiny committee tomorrow says: "It is generally accepted that the last two winters have been the worst for some time, with the 2009-10 winter being the worst for approximately 30 years.

"Whether this trend continues is yet to be seen but if it does there will be budgetary pressures in this service area."

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The exceptional conditions last winter resulted in 75 per cent more call-outs than a period average in other years.

For gritting purposes, the council has established a precautionary network covering 1,250km (777 miles), or 38 per cent of its road network, and a secondary network of 430km (267 miles), or 12 per cent.

The precautionary network is treated before ice forms or snow falls, and the secondary network if ice or snow is forecast to be present beyond noon.

The cost of treating each kilometre over the whole season is 1,313.

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The council also grits some of its busiest footpaths based on the same forecast, with treatments usually being applied from 4am.

By next winter, 11 of the council's 21 gritting vehicles will have automatic salting systems which control the spread rates and patterns.

Research has shown the public would like to see the council grit more footpaths more often and also increase the supply to its 900 salt bins.

The council said it would need eight men and associated equipment to fill the bins every 10 days, and this would require about 300 tonnes of salt.

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It may now prioritise which bins are resupplied as last year because of demand it found some bins were emptied within hours of them being filled.

The council's director of environment and neighbourhood services, Nigel Leighton, said: "We're looking at a number of options around compiling a strategic salt stock for an extended winter period, not just the construction of an additional barn.

"The Government introduced a salt cell which looked at ensuring that supply was distributed to those councils in greatest need, not necessarily to those with the best arrangements in place.

"This was a disappointment to us as we had arranged for a supply throughout the winter rather than having to spend additional capital on creating substantial additional storage facilities."

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A triennial review of the winter service is to be presented to the council's Cabinet next month.

It will consider a number of issues including treating school bus routes and service bus routes, treating transport interchanges and enhanced treatment of footpaths.

It could also recommend service reductions.

The authority is already facing a bill of about 9.7m to repair weather-damaged roads and has secured about 4.5m of the total cost.