Council 'unprepared' for winter cold snap

MANY GRIT BINS 'EITHER NOT AVAILABLE OR ARE EMPTY'

- By ALISON STEPHENSON

A yellow grit bin in Plympton, where a collision involving eight cars ended up with thousands of pounds' worth of damage

PLYMOUTH City Council has been accused of being 'unprepared' for the recent cold snap, after it was revealed the authority received more than 400 requests to refill grit bins over the last week as temperatures plummeted well below zero.

The council said teams were replenishing the city’s 452 grit bins from Wednesday, following the cold snap and in readiness for any further freezing conditions.

Around 700 tonnes of the council's 1,100 tonnes of salt has been used since November and its salt barn would be topped up next week, it said.

The bins are provided for members of the public to treat public roads or footpaths.

Concerns were raised this week following reports of grit bins not being available or being empty in “high risk” locations.