Reserves of road salt in Powys are critically low and could run out if the severe weather continues,the county council has warned.
With forecasters predicting up to another 10 days of cold conditions the council has prioritised treating primary to conserve salt supplies. Secondary routes, minor roads and roadside bins and heaps will only be replenished when supplies improve or with a grit/salt mix to conserve salt stocks.
The council will continue to respond to medical emergencies in support of the emergency services or where there is a need for a doctor to attend.
Powys normally carries stocks of around 14,000 tonnes in 11 depots. The decision was taken in November to increase this and depots were stocked to maximum capacity for early December with overspill at some locations.
During November salt bins and heaps were replenished with some requiring a further top-up in December. The long period of continually freezing conditions has meant that we have used almost 13,000 tonnes of salt on the roads during December. This compares with an average over the last 5 years of around 5,000 tonnes for the same period.
The Council prioritises roads and routinely treats around 1,400km of primary routes on a regular basis when freezing conditions are expected. These primary routes include the main strategic transport roads across the County.
When severe conditions are experienced the Council treats a further 1,000km of secondary routes that include the more frequently used minor road network. The remaining roads are treated as and when resources allow.
The prolonged cold spell with rain, sleet and snow has affected the whole of the UK, meaning that councils have had to treat roads more frequently than usual. This has placed a great strain on the replenishment of salt stock for all Councils and reserves in Powys are now down to below 1,200 tonnes.
Because of this the council has decided that it can now only treat primary routes as a matter of course with secondary routes, other minor roads and the replenishment of salt heaps and bins stopped until the supply position improves. However with many salt heaps and bins now empty the Council will be distributing some supplies of grit/salt mix to help the public with travel on the minor road network.
The public is asked to use salt sparingly as small quantities are very effective. The action of vehicles on salted roads is necessary to help the salt to work and disperse ice more effectively.
The public should be aware that at temperatures of minus 5 degrees and below the salt is not as effective and at minus 8 degrees it will have little effect. In these conditions using more salt is unproductive and will not significantly improve matters.
Drivers are also asked to take extra care in the current conditions and even when travelling on salted roads speeds should be reduced, as there is still the risk of slippery conditions.
