Salt mountains are sitting in Shropshire’s council depots as chiefs at both councils revealed today they had ordered thousands of tonnes in the event of a big freeze striking for the third successive year.

Shropshire Council ordered its salt in April and has 21,000 tonnes in stock – 1,000 tonnes more than last year.

It also has 25 gritters as well as the latest forecasting technology and has taken on farming contractors with snowploughs and tractor-mounted gritters.

The council’s winter maintenance budget is £1.6 million, with £1 million available as a contingency.

Telford & Wrekin Council, which looks after a smaller road network, says its salt supplies are full, with 2,700 tonnes in stock.

Last winter was the coldest to hit Shropshire for 114 years.

The county ground to a halt during three weeks of freezing temperatures in December.

Councillor Simon Jones, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “In light of last winter’s conditions we have increased our salt stocks.

“This, along with our gritters and contractors, means that we are well prepared for this year’s winter weather.”

Councillor Keith Barrow, Shropshire Council leader, said: “We have enough salt to ensure our most important routes are gritted so that people can get around as safely as possible.

“However, we’d also like to encourage people to use the many grit bins we have installed across the county to clear snow and ice outside their homes.”

In Telford & Wrekin, Councillor Shaun Davies, cabinet member for environment, said: “We have nearly doubled the capacity of our salt stocks in the last two years and these are now full, at 2,700 tonnes.

“This winter we have also changed the salt spread rates that we use to align this with other West Midlands councils and the Highway Agency for motorways, which will further increase our stock resilience by a full third.

“These steps will help ensure that we are able to keep the borough on the move in severe winter weather and that the council can continue to treat 40 per cent of its road network, more than many other councils in the region.”

By Political Reporter Andrew Owen