Gritting rationed as salt stocks fall

WITH more heavy snow forecast, Suffolk today cut back on the number of roads being gritted in an attempt to ensure it does not run out of salt.Suppliers are switching their grit to the north where councils are starting to run out, forcing Suffolk to ration its gritting to main routes.

WITH more heavy snow forecast, Suffolk today cut back on the number of roads being gritted in an attempt to ensure it does not run out of salt.

Suppliers are switching their grit to the north where councils are starting to run out, forcing Suffolk to ration its gritting to main routes.

County council transport spokesman Guy McGregor said gritting teams had been working round the clock since the cold snap began in Mid-December - and staff were now starting to feel the strain.

He added: “Our suppliers of salt are also under pressure. Just as Suffolk County Council prioritises the roads our supplier is having to prioritise customers and supplies are now being diverted to local authorities in the north whose stocks are completely exhausted.

“With this in mind we need to make sure we use the salt we have in the most effective and efficient way. We have stocks of salt at present, but we need to be prudent to ensure that we are able to continue to grit the priority routes.

“We will continue to salt our priority one routes, which includes A and B roads in the county and routes to main hospitals and fire stations and routes with more than 4,000 movements a day, but will not salt other roads.

“We want people to be aware of this change to our service, but I want to reassure everyone that we will continue to treat almost a third of the county's roads (1232 miles out of 4272 miles of road in the county).”

“We will continue to fill grit bins in the county on request from parish councils so local people can treat local trouble spots on minor roads, which otherwise would not be treated.”