Councils ignored cheap road salt offer

Councils ignored cheap road salt offer Up to 30 councils spurned an offer last year of thousands of tonnes of de-icing salt at a reduced price, to use on the roads this winter, the BBC has learned.

British Salt Director David Stephen made the offer from its 60,000 tonnes stockpile in April but had no takers.

The Local Government Association said every council had six days' supply - the officially minimum recommended level of salt needed to meet demand.

However the LGA's David Sparks said the six-day advice may have to be revised.

Earlier this week Transport Secretary Lord Adonis warned that councils might have to ration their supplies of salt to cope with continuing cold weather.

"Following last year's winter, we knew we had 60,000 tonnes available and felt we should enter the de-icing sector permanently," said Mr Stephen.

"Once the panic has died down we will go back to the councils and see if we can secure a supply position with them," Mr Stephen added.

With the government looking to buy salt from abroad, Mr Stephen said councils could have stocked up last year and saved money if they had ordered earlier.

David Sparks, a member of the transport board of the Local Government Association said he was not aware of British Salt's offer.

But he added: "That wouldn't have altered anything because everybody did have six days of salt which was the consensus view of the level of salt that was adequate to meet the mac dvd ripperdemands that we would face.