Councils have stockpiled 1.2 million tonnes of salt in preparation for the winter, according to a survey of highways bosses.
The survey, conducted by the Local Government Association (LGA), found around half of all councils have already reached their limit for salt storage capacity. The majority (80%) have also installed community grit bins so residents can salt pavements and paths themselves.
The survey also revealed the importance of using social media to keep residents up-to-date on road conditions and gritting activity, with 95% of councils using Twitter accounts to relay this information.
Cllr Peter Box, LGA environment spokesman, said: ‘Councils are fully prepared to protect residents and minimise disruption to their residents caused by the drop in temperatures. They are constantly monitoring up-to-the-minute weather reports to make sure they can stay one step ahead of the weather. We are well prepared for the cold with 1.2 million tonnes of salt stockpiled and a fleet of state-of-the-art gritters ready to be deployed.
‘As well as gritting our roads and clearing snow, council teams are ready to be drafted in to help provide a variety of services to ensure we are looking out for the more vulnerable members of our communities this winter, from carrying out emergency household repairs to delivering hot meals and portable heaters.’
