1.4m tonnes of salt are stockpiled for winter

COUNCILS HAVE stockpiled 1.4 million tonnes of salt as they gear up to try to clear snow and ice on the roads this winter, according to new figures.

Preparations to tackle any big freeze or flooding this winter sees 94 per cent of councils with either more salt in stock for this year or the same level as they did last year, according to the Local Government Association’s annual Winter Readiness Survey.

Funding pressures and limited resources mean that 55 per cent of councils will share salt stocks, 30 per cent will share gritting machinery and 22 per cent plan to send staff to key locations across neighbouring areas when needed.

It may also use specialised weather forecasting that predicts estimated road surface temperatures.

The LGA survey, of highway council bosses across England and Wales, also found that Luton Council is ready to tackle more than 142 miles of road with about 1,400 tonnes of salt.

LGA transport spokesman Martin Tett said: “Councils are constantly monitoring the weather, with up-to-the-minute reports to stay one step ahead. Depots are filled with 1.4 million tonnes of salt and gritters are ready to be deployed instantly.”

The Met Office has issued a weather warning, set to last until tonight at 6pm, for rain in southwest England. Yorkshire may see some sunshine early today but there is a chance of rain too.