Local authorities to get salt

Highways Agency vehicles are today making deliveries of salt to local authorities.

Salt has become a precious commodity in the last seven days, and all new salt supplies will go to those local authorities most in need rather than the Highways Agency.

The South West is predicated severe winter storms from Monday including snow, gale-force wind, torrential rain and flooding.

The Highways Agency’s Director of Network Operations, Derek Turner said:

“This is a short term measure to ensure that stocks go to where they are most required, and we will review the situation after the weekend. In the last week the Highways Agency has used around 75,000 tonnes of salt on the strategic road network in England. This compares to an average winter week last year when we used approximately 10,000 tonnes of salt each week.

The Highways Agency is working closely with local authorities to coordinate the supply of salt between different areas in order to help keep the most important local roads open.”