Public should have access to grit

MEMBERS of the public should have access to grit and salt supplies to help clear roads, the Transport Secretary has suggested as the worst December weather for 19 years continues.

With icy weather warnings in place across much of the country, Philip Hammond said people should have access to supplies so they can tackle roads and pavements not treated by councils.

Forecasters said the prolonged cold weather and snowfall is the worst for December since 1981, with the Christmas period also likely to see frost, ice and snow.

Mr Hammond said: “In many cases people would like to have the opportunity to have access to grit and salt supplies so that on roads that are not on the council’s gritting route they can make the pavements a bit easier, make it a bit easier for them to get out of their driveways.

“People have always dug their way out of their own driveways and I would encourage people who are able to do that kind of thing to continue doing it for themselves and for neighbours who are perhaps less able to.”

He added that there was no need to call in the Army in England because councils were still able to call contractors if they needed help clearing roads.

Met Office forecaster John Hammond said: “The last time we saw prolonged cold weather in December with such low temperatures and this amount of snow fall was 1981.”

He added: “There will be something of a recovery over the course of the weekend with 7/8C in some places. We haven’t seen those sorts of temperatures for a while. But overnight temperatures will still be quite low and ice will still be a problem, especially in the mornings.

“Next week the north easterly winds will bring in the cold weather once more with an increasing risk of snow showers, especially in northern and eastern parts of the UK.”