COUNCILS in the North-East are stockpiling thousands of tonnes of extra road salt in case of another harsh winter.

Across England and Wales, salt orders have increased to 1.4 million tonnes and most local authorities have upped their orders from last year, said the Local Government Association (LGA).

Durham County Council has set a £2.43m winter maintenance budget and will have a salt stock of 45,000 to 50,000 tonnes more than last year.

Terry Collins, Durham County Council’s corporate director of neighbourhood services, said: “Keeping the county moving even during severe winter weather remains a high priority for the council, but more importantly it was the number one priority expressed by residents.”

North Yorkshire County Council says its salt barns are full, with 55,000 tonnes stockpiled in the county. It has set the same £6.2m budget as last year, although it ended up spending more due to the severe conditions.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has 4,000 tonnes of grit in its depot and for the first time will have access to a direct supply from Boulby potash mine.

Last year, the authority used 5,885 tonnes of grit and hopes the mine will enable it to meet requirements and it will target routes with its fleet of six gritters.

Darlington Borough Council has ordered 6,000 tonnes of road grit, the same as last year which was more than the 4,500 tonnes used in previous years.

LGA economy and transport chairman, Peter Box, said: “Whatever surprises the weather may have in store for us this winter, motorists can count on council highways teams being better prepared than ever before to keep disruption to a minimum.

“Local authorities have been hard at work making preparations for this winter ever since the end of the last one.

“Councils have more salt and better plans in place to make it go further while even more volunteers and community groups have been lined up to help with the great gritting effort.”

Meanwhile, Stockton firm UK National Ltd, which has contracts to grit car parks of multi-national companies, hospitals and business parks, has 2,500 tonnes of sea salt in storage.