4/1/2010 - Cumbria coping with rock salt supply problems
Due to heavy demand from local authorities for rock salt used for gritting roads, Cumbria Highways is working to ensure its supplies are used as effectively as possible in the ongoing battle against the winter weather.
Cumbria still has a larger stock of rock salt –more than 4,200 tonnes –than many other counties, but precautions are being taken as the company that supplies local authorities across the country from its salt mine in Cheshire has told Cumbria County Council that it will not be able to deliver further supplies to the county for the foreseeable future as national demand has soared.
Cumbria's priority one and two routes –those chosen to maintain transport connections for as many communities as possible –will continue to be treated as usual but the gritting of third priority routes has been halted until the supply problems are alleviated so essential supplies can last for longer on the main priority routes. The core network of priority one and two routes covers 1,500 miles of roads.
Options for alternative rock salt suppliers are being examined, but action is needed now to make the best use of supplies.
For winter maintenance purposes, Cumbria’s road network is divided into first, second and third priority routes. First priority routes are gritted within three hours, second priority routes are gritted within five hours and third priority routes are gritted only during periods of prolonged icy conditions and when the first and second priority roads are clear.
Up until now the county council had been gritting third priority routes, many of which are more minor routes in rural areas and account for around a third of the county’s highways network, but priority now has to be given to maintaining transport links on the more heavily used roads.
Cumbria is well used to dealing with harsh weather conditions. Before the current cold spell arrived at the weekend before Christmas, there were around 15,000 tonnes of rock salt stockpiled in the county - far more than most area would normally have ready. The county's salt barns can hold a maximum of 23,000 tonnes and were fully stocked at the start of the winter.
A full county-wide gritting run uses around 300 tonnes of rock salt and covers roughly one third of the network - the equivalent of driving from Penrith to Barcelona. The amount of rock salt used increases significantly in extreme icy or snow conditions - meaning action has to be taken now to ensure that the stocks that remain can be used to keep priority routes open for the forseeable future.
As well as treating roads county-wide, Cumbria Highways is also replenishing salt heaps and grit bins, but due to the exceptional surge in demand this is taking longer than it would in a more average winter and the county council is aware that many salt heaps and grit bins still need to be replenished.
Grit bins are available for people to spread grit on pavements and roads themselves and are frequently found in more rural areas that are not on the regular gritting routes.
When bins are replenished, people are being urged to use the grit sensibly and not take it for their own personal use on private property.
County council care workers have been working hard to protect vulnerable people during the cold snap. Over the Christmas week some care workers were assisted by Kendal Mountain Rescue Team to reach the homes of service users who would otherwise have been at serious risk - an enormous help provided by selfless volunteers.
Councillor Tony Markley, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member responsible for highways, said: "Our highways teams have been working round the clock to keep the county’s road network open over Christmas and the New Year. We have faced a prolonged and extreme cold snap which means that rock salt supplies have been depleted nationally and we now need to start thinking strategically about how we can make sure that the supplies that we do have are used in the best possible way.
"Thankfully Cumbria is in a better position than many other councils and we have more supplies left than many other areas, but we do need to be careful about using what we have got in the best possible way. Unfortunately, for some people who live near minor roads this will mean that a road that they would normally expect to be gritted during a prolonged cold spell will not be gritted. I’d urge all drivers to be extremely careful and think hard about how essential a trip is before making it.
"We will also be exploring the best ways to work with our district and parish council partners to ensure that highways are treated in the most effective and efficient way possible."
Notes for editors
Cumbria has a network of nine depots, 30 gritters and around 9,500 salt heaps and grit bins operating around the county. Cumbria Highways winter maintenance teams are on call 24 hours a day during high season and operate from a series of depots across the county.
For more information on Cumbria's winter maintenance programme including details on how quickly routes are gritted and which roads are given priority visit
Cumbria Highways is the partnership between Cumbria County Council, Capita Symonds, Amey and Connect Roads that maintains and improves Cumbria’s road network.
Media enquiries to Gareth Cosslett, News Manager on 01228 226332
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