2:52pm Monday 8th February 2010
By Tristan Kirk
GRITTING teams are preparing for another night on the roads of Harrow as temperatures look set to plummet again.
Harrow Council's gritting teams, equipped with nearly 300 tonnes of salt, are preparing to head out tonight after freezing temperatures were predicted across the south east of England.
Further runs tomorrow morning and throughout the week are expected, but council chiefs have warned there is only a maximum of eight days worth of salt remaining.
The council ordered grit in December last year, anticipating freezing conditions at the start of this year.
However, a nationwide salt shortage meant Harrow did not receive its order before last month's extended cold snap.
Today, Councillor Susan Hall, deputy leader of the council, restated her anger that the borough has been left high and dry by its salt suppliers because the order still has not materialised.
She said: “We are conserving our supplies carefully and we will have to eke it out as there appears scant chance of any fresh stock arriving."
Cllr Hall also revealed the council has hired two new highways inspectors as it battles to fix the road damage done by last month's snow.
It is estimated around £2m worth of damage was done, and 32 council workers have been tasked with repairing the potholes and cracks in the roads.
However, with fresh snow and freezing conditions predicted, Cllr Hall warned it may take the council “some weeks” to get on top of the problem.
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