Salt stocks have been built up in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin to ensure the county’s main roads are free of ice and snow this winter.

But today the AA claimed that half of UK councils only have stocks that will last six days of continuous freezing weather. The motoring organisation says that with Britain enduring its first cold snap, the country’s ability to deal with a major snowfall is again open to question.

Industry sources have told the AA that Britain’s local authorities have a quarter of a million tonnes less road salt in stock than they would have carried a decade ago.

Their continued reliance on supermarket-style “just in time” deliveries leaves too many of them just as vulnerable to a lengthy big freeze or major snowfall as last year, it is claimed.

But Chris Edwards, Shropshire Council’s director of environmental maintenance, said the authority was well prepared. He said it had built up its salt stock and had about 16,000 tonnes stored.

“Our salt barns are full and we have also added additional stock at our depot near Whitchurch,” said Mr Edwards.

The council has 28 gritting routes covering about 28 per cent – 1,400 miles – of its roads network. Last year, though its supplies were running low, it still managed to spare salt to help out the Telford & Wrekin and Solihull councils. “We are well prepared,” said Mr Edwards.

Steve Bentley, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member for environment, said: “This year Telford & Wrekin Council has invested in increasing its salt storage capacity by almost 25 per cent to help avoid a recurrence of the salt shortage issues that were experienced nationally last year.

“Our gritters have been out over the last few days salting the borough’s key roads network and our salt stocks are currently at capacity.”

Edmund King, AA president, has sought assurances from the Local Government Association that there will not be a repeat of last February’s roads snow chaos. He also said that a post-code lottery exists regarding the priority some local authorities place on keeping roads free of ice and snow.

By Dave Morris