Roads operators have plenty of salt to grit north roads
The Highland Council and Trunk Road Operator BEAR Scotland are reassuring motorists that they have plenty of road salt in stock throughout their areas and that treatment of Highland roads is business as usual.
Multi-agency partners, including local authorities, BEAR Scotland, Police, Fire, NHS Highland, Marine Coastguard Agency, Red Cross, SEPA, SSE, Scottish Water, and the Scottish Ambulance Service met yesterday to assess the weather impacts and are continuing to monitor the situation locally.
William Gilfillan Director of Highland Council’s Community Services said: “We have plenty of salt in stock at our 41 depots across the Highlands. On average our annual winter salt usage is around 50,000 tonnes of salt a year and our current salt tonnage in the Highlands is 39,518 tonnes in stock with a healthy 6,298 tonnes at the Inverness Harbour store and a further 3,500 tonnes arriving by boat this weekend and more on order.
“In an extreme snow event we would use 2,700 to 3,500 tonnes per day across the whole of the Highlands. Based on the salt we have in supply of just under 40,000 tonnes - if there was extreme weather across the whole of the Highlands deploying our entire gritter workforce - we have more than 10 days resilience for our entire 6,700km network.”
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s Operating Company Representative for the North West said: “There is no shortage of salt stocks and we have around 35 000 tonnes between our North West and North East units which is continuously being replenished.”
The Highland Council and BEAR collaborate closely and share salt to a small extent to suit joint operational requirements and the coordination of shipping deliveries.
The Council has shared salt depots with BEAR at Kingussie, Arisaig, Ballachulish, and Conchra, with remaining Council salt depots at Grantown, Nairn Park Quarry, Janetstown, Wick, Melness (Achuvoldrach) Tongue, Strathy, Longman, Cannich, Drumnadrochit, Gorthleck, Fort William Carr's Corner, Invergarry, Strontian, Broadford, Sconser HC, Fairybridge Dunvegan, Alness, Tain, Ardgay Ardchronie, Helmsdale, Durness, Dornoch, Kinlochbervie, Lochinver, Brora, Rogart, Lairg, Greenhill, Gairloch, Dundonnell, Lochcarron, Achiltibuie, Applecross, Ullapool, Torridon, Whinhill, and Silverbridge.