Residents reminded not to use grit bins

RESIDENTS in Carmarthenshire are being reminded not to use salt from the council’s grit bins for their own driveways.

There are around 1100 grit bins in strategic locations across the county to treat local roads and pavements during bad weather.

However, last winter saw some people stealing the salt for their own use and there were even instances of it being sold on.

Now residents are being warned that this will not be tolerated and anyone caught could even be prosecuted.

Director of Technical Services Richard Workman said: “We are urging the public to use the grit bins responsibly. The salt should only be used to make roads and pavements safe and not for people to take and use on their own driveways.”

The council’s Environment Scrutiny Committee heard that the authority has increased its salt stock following last year’s national salt shortage which saw many local authorities having to ration supplies and stop using salt on minor roads.

Mr Workman told members that it was recommended that local authorities hold enough salt to carry out six days of continuous gritting. For Carmarthenshire, this amounts to 5,500 tonnes. However, the council will have 11,000 tonnes of salt in place by December as well as a further 5,500 tonnes which is on order with the Welsh Assembly Government.

“This means we will have triple the contingency arrangements,” said Mr Workman. ”I am confident that all the arrangements are in place so that we will be well stocked with salt, we can never say that we will have enough salt because we do not know what the winter will bring, but we are very well prepared.”