Winter Maintenance Update From Highland Council

16th February 2009

The prolonged period of adverse weather conditions this winter has resulted in a significant increase in the usage of rock salt to treat roads in the Highlands.

The average annual usage of rock salt over the past five years has been 55,000 tonnes.

The total for this financial year already stands at 77,000 tonnes.

In 2007/8, the Council spent £4,237,000 on winter maintenance. £3,777,000 has been spent in this financial year.

Richard Guest, Head of Roads and Community Works for The Highland Council, said the Council currently held a stock of 10,650 tonnes of rock salt, which was the equivalent of a week's supply.

Shipments are expected at Inverness, Invergordon and Scrabster later this week, which will increase the capacity by 15,000 tonnes. A further 8,000 tonnes was on order.

He said: "This has been a particularly cold winter, with more instances of ice and snow than we have experienced for a number of years. We have managed to cope with the demand for gritting and the orders we have made should see us through the winter."