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Salt shortage talks to continue Salt shortage talks to continue
(about 3 hours later)
Agencies in charge of gritting the UK's roads are to meet later to decide what more can be done after local councils agreed to cut their salt use by 25%.Agencies in charge of gritting the UK's roads are to meet later to decide what more can be done after local councils agreed to cut their salt use by 25%.
Drivers and pedestrians have faced difficult conditions after days of snow turned to ice in sub-zero temperatures.Drivers and pedestrians have faced difficult conditions after days of snow turned to ice in sub-zero temperatures.
Northamptonshire and Flintshire county councils are among several to complain of critically low salt stocks.Northamptonshire and Flintshire county councils are among several to complain of critically low salt stocks.
More snow is forecast overnight on Tuesday in Wales, the West Country and parts of central and southern England. The Met Office is warning of heavy snow - 10-20cm (4-8in) - in parts of south-west England and south Wales later.
Parts of central and southern England could also see more snow overnight.
However, BBC weather forecaster Susan Powell said, for most of the UK, Tuesday would be a cold, grey day with a chilly wind but less snow than in recent days.
WEATHER AND TRAVEL INFO Get the latest on school closures and travel problems via your BBC Local websiteCheck if snow is forecast in your area at BBC Weather Details of motorway and local road closures and public transport disruption are available at BBC Travel News For advice on handling difficult driving conditions, see the Highways Agency websiteFor information about severe weather warnings, see the Met Office websiteFor information about staying healthy in the cold weather, see the NHS Winter Health website People 'falling over in big numbers'
Temperatures in England and Wales would be just above freezing and about 3C or 4C (37F or 39F) in Scotland and Northern Ireland, she said.
Meanwhile, there are suggestions the cold weather could contribute to growing numbers of potholes on UK roads.
On Monday, Transport Secretary Lord Adonis warned salt supplies would have to be rationed for councils to cope with continuing cold weather.On Monday, Transport Secretary Lord Adonis warned salt supplies would have to be rationed for councils to cope with continuing cold weather.
'Admission of guilt'
Warrington Council said it was due to run out of rock salt on Tuesday morning but had been assured a delivery would arrive before then.Warrington Council said it was due to run out of rock salt on Tuesday morning but had been assured a delivery would arrive before then.
Cumbria County Council said it was supplementing its stocks with a mixture containing industrial salt while the city council in Bristol was down to just 50 tonnes.Cumbria County Council said it was supplementing its stocks with a mixture containing industrial salt while the city council in Bristol was down to just 50 tonnes.
Somerset County Council will concentrate on major roads to save salt stocks after 16 nights of continuous gritting.Somerset County Council will concentrate on major roads to save salt stocks after 16 nights of continuous gritting.
The Conservatives accused the government of making inadequate preparations and suggested the call for councils to reduce their daily salt use by 25% was an "admission of guilt". The Conservatives accused the government of inadequate preparation, equating the rationing to an "admission of guilt", while the Lib Dems want a review of the recommendation that local authorities hold a six-day supply of salt.
The Lib Dems, meanwhile, warned that Britain could run out of salt while waiting for fresh supplies from overseas if the weather gets worse. 'Dangerously low'
They are calling for a review of the recommendation that local authorities hold a six-day supply of salt. The Highways Agency says supplies are sufficient to keep main roads open in the coming days, but the Institution of Civil Engineers has warned salt supplies are "running dangerously low".
The Highways Agency insists supplies are sufficient to keep main roads open in the coming days, but Tom Foulkes, director general of the Institution of Civil Engineers, warned salt supplies were "running dangerously low". Its vice-president Geoff French said the continuous cycle of freezing and thawing could contribute to the additional problem of potholes - particularly on roads where long-term maintenance had been neglected.
'Grey day' "Water gets into cracks in the road surface, it then freezes and expands the crack. Then more water gets in, it freezes because of the weather cycle we're in and it steadily gets worse," he said.
As vehicle wheels passed over, the crack widened into a pothole, said Mr French. He called for the government to tackle the problem centrally rather than leaving it to local councils.
On Monday, senior officials on the Civil Contingencies Committee met to discuss weather-related problems.On Monday, senior officials on the Civil Contingencies Committee met to discuss weather-related problems.
Afterwards, the prime minister's spokesman said supplies would soon be bolstered by deliveries from the US and Spain. Afterwards, the prime minister's spokesman said salt supplies would soon be bolstered by deliveries from the US and Spain.
BBC weather forecaster Susan Powell said Tuesday would be a cold, grey day with a chilly wind, but less snow than in recent days. Travellers are likely to face more disruption on Tuesday, albeit less severe than in recent days.
She predicted about 10-15cm (4-6in) of snow would fall on higher ground in south-west England.
Temperatures in England and Wales would be just above freezing and about 3C or 4C (37 or 39F) in Scotland and Northern Ireland, she said.
But more widespread snow was on the way overnight on Tuesday, she warned.
Travellers are likely to face more disruption, albeit less severe than in recent days.
  • Eurostar said it would run a near normal service with a small number of cancellations. Passengers were warned of some slight delays.
  • British Airways said flights in and out of Heathrow and Gatwick airports continued to be disrupted by the weather. Easyjet said there were no weather cancellations on Tuesday.
  • A66 in both directions between A685 (Brough) and the A67 (Bowes) is closed because of snow, as is the A628 (Woodhead Pass) in both directions between A57 and A616.
  • Eurostar said it would run a near normal service with a small number of cancellations. Passengers were warned of some slight delays.
  • British Airways said flights in and out of Heathrow and Gatwick airports continued to be disrupted by the weather. Easyjet said there were no weather cancellations on Tuesday.
  • A66 in both directions between A685 (Brough) and the A67 (Bowes) is closed because of snow, as is the A628 (Woodhead Pass) in both directions between A57 and A616.
EU rules on how long milk tanker drivers can work without a break have been temporarily relaxed to help delivery companies cope with weather-related problems on the roads.
Some dairy farmers have had to pour milk away after running out of storage space because tankers could not access them.
David Cotton, vice-chairman of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, said the move would help.
"If you get held up somewhere because of an accident, you're just sat there and then you run out of driver hours, then you can't go and collect the milk."