Grit supplies locked up to stop theft as stocks run low

North Yorkshire County Council has confirmed that grit is being locked up to ensure it is not taken from salt bins across the countryside and put on driveways and paths at private properties.

The decision has meant farmers who are sub-contracted by the authority to keep rural roads gritted are instead being supplied with sand for minor routes.

Meanwhile countryside businesses are struggling because of gritting problems, including the Royal Oak Furniture Company in Grassington, which has supplied leading retailers including Harrods, Selfridges and John Lewis since it was set up 25 years ago.

Owner Paul Kent, who runs the Moor Lane firm with his wife, Janet, fears he is faced with closing the business temporarily unless he can get oil supplies in the next couple of days for a generator which powers the workshop equipment.

Mr Kent said: "The irony is that we have managed to weather the recession so far but it looks like we will have to close temporarily because we cannot operate without the generator.

"The weather conditions are obviously extreme, but we need to make sure the rural roads are gritted as well otherwise our staff are going to suffer – they won't have any work if the business is forced to shut."

North Yorkshire County Council had 40,000 tonnes of grit in October but supplies were yesterday down to 8,000 tonnes, which is needed to keep major routes open across England's largest county.

Transport Minister Sadiq Khan insisted yesterday the Government was doing "everything possible" to keep the UK's road network open during the cold snap after he was summoned to the House of Commons to explain the response to the problems caused by ice and snow.

Mr Khan said some councils had up to 69 days' worth of salt supplies because they had boosted reserves off their own back – and said many authorities running low on supplies were led by the Tories.

Leeds and Rotherham councils confirmed yesterday that only major routes were now being gritted.

Leeds started the winter with 21,000 tonnes of salt in stock – having only used only 20,000 tonnes throughout all of last winter. At 7am yesterday, only 4,300 tonnes remained.

An emergency 100 tonnes of salt has been delivered to Calderdale Council in West Yorkshire, and gritters in the Halifax area are concentrating on clearing classified roads only.