The Government’s handling of last winter’s salt crisis has come under strong criticism.
Jerry McConkey, network manager at Sefton MBC, has claimed that the Department for Transport intervention caused more damage than good and led to salt stocks falling dangerously close to zero at councils nationwide.
Speaking at the Cold Comfort conference, hosted by Localgov.co.uk's sister title, Surveyor, Mr McConkey accused the DfT of causing ‘chaos’ by implementing a system ‘based on sheer panic’.
‘There was enough salt to go around but it seemed that far too much went to some locations and not enough to others. The Highways Agency was deemed the priority,’ he said. ‘We relied on our tried and tested system and were coping until the intervention which left us about a grit and a half away from disaster.’
Mr McConkey added that Sefton was only saved by the generosity of neighbouring Wirral BC, which stepped in with 50t.
In the ensuing debate, Ed Fisher, Enfield LBC’s section manager, said there should have been an intervention on how salt was being used. ‘Some local authorities were using salt in an unrealistic way – yet still remained on the critical list.’
However, Matthew Lugg, chairman of the steering group from the UK Road Liaison Group (UKRLG) winter service review, rejected claims that the HA received preferential treatment. He described the Agency as an ‘honest broker’ which received 15% of the 75,000t prioritised by the Salt Cell - contrary to some councils’ claims.
‘The majority of salt went to local authorities and from 13 February the Highways Agency took nothing. [The organisation] played an important part in ensuring local authorities didn’t run out of salt,’ he said.
Referring to the review, Mr Lugg described it as strong evidence – at a time of public spending cuts – of the fact that councils could not risk making any reductions to winter services budgets.
Conference chair Roger Elphick, former head of highway management at Durham CC, told Surveyor he was alarmed at the lack of concern shown by a number of local authorities when asked whether they would make changes to their winter service approaches.
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