As Durham Runs Short Of Salt and Grit - Government Ignored A Report Suggesting Action For Five Months

Durham County Council has announced that it is going to restrict the use of salt on the roads "due to the current under-supply and future uncertainty regarding the supply of salt." Across the North East and across the country, local councils are running desparately short of salt as the very cold snap continues.

It seems that the Government has been sitting on a report that was published in August 2009, about how local authorities should respond to cold weather. Government Ministers didn't bother to respond to the report until 15th December - when it became clear that bad weather was on the way.

The report contained 19 recommendations, which could have meant that the shortages and chaos across the country could have been alleviated. It is a shame that the Government sat on its hands for five months and didn't do anything that could have helped with the supply of salt.