Council officers in Scotland announced last night that many local authorities are running low on salt supplies, which means that in a few hours the roads may be much icier and dangerous. This is only cemented by the fact that this is the longest period of cold weather to hit the country in the last twenty years.
The question of salt demand was raised after New Year’s when thousands of drivers found themselves on a gridlock for a few hours both directions near the Forth Road Bridge Saturday, and the severe weather conditions only got worse.
Fife Council’s head of transportation, Bob McLellan, said that suppliers did not have enough salt in stock reserves this year, and that sometime this morning the county could possibly run out.
McLellan also stated that many councils across Scotland are facing the same problem.
The supplier contract with the Fife SNP administration states that salt levels cannot reach under 3,500 tonnes, which normally would last around three weeks, however the current weather conditions that have struck the county has forced the road authorities to use about 1,500 tonnes per day.
The Finance Secretary of Scotland, John Swinney, insisted that supplies will be replenished immediately and that the Government is working hard to make sure that the roadways across the country stay open.
Swinney stated that salt levels are sufficient at the moment and that stocks are consistently being replenished. He also stated that the Government is working with the UK in a coordinated effort to keep roads open in the current extreme weather conditions.
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