Liverpool Labour Environment spokesperson, Cllr Tim Moore, has asked why Liverpool City Council had to take emergency procedures to make sure it had supplies to grit its roads – when he himself was assured before Christmas that the council’s grit supplies were adequate.
Many major routes into Liverpool were ungritted for much of the week, amid reports that the council had to go cap-in-hand to neighbouring Wirral Council to get an extra 30 tonnes of grit sent over.
Liberal Democrat leader Warren Bradley tried to deflect the blame for this on Tuesday by blaming Government Office North West and claiming they had rationed grit supplies. However, Government Office North West responded by claiming that, as of Wednesday morning, no rationing had taken place.
Councillor Tim Moore said: "Two weeks ago we asked about the City Council's preparedness for the Cold Snap, and were assured that the stock was sufficient, and that procedures were in place to replenish salt stocks as required."
"This is obviously not the case, and it is clear to anyone trying to travel to their school or workplace today that the Council's planning for this period of cold weather, has been woefully inadequate"
"For Liverpool City Council run out of grit, and be reduced to borrowing emergency supplies from other Councils, with the prediction of further cold weather to come, shows poor planning, and inadequate preparation."
"Trying to blame the government will not do - especially when other local authorities have dealth with the situation well, and both Government Office North West and Department for Transport have categorically stated that the national salt cell rationing procedure has not been invoked"
"The Council's immediate priority must be to ensure that enough grit is sourced to keep the roads safe, today, and over the next few days of expected freezing weather"
"Once this current cold snap is over, the Council must rapidly ensure that our salt stock levels are returned to a satisfactory level, and re-examine the cold weather procedures and contingency plans that we were told were sufficient, but have been shown to be worryingly inadequate"