Salt workers prepare to step up a gear (From Warrington Guardian)

Salt workers prepare to step up a gear

ARCTIC weather in Britain looks set to bring benefits to one Winsford company this week.

As temperatures plummet across the country, staff at the Salt Union at Winsford Rock Salt Mine stepped up the task of making sure there is enough salt to supply the nation's gritters.

Met Office forecasters said snowy weather was likely to spread southwards today, Wednesday, and temperatures in some areas of the UK could hit as low as minus 15C.

Salt Union spokesman Alan Sheen said on Tuesday: "It's not particularly busy at the moment but we would expect orders to pick up when the snow starts to land later on in the week.

"It really depends where the snow falls and how it settles. We have seen snow in the past that generated big orders and everyone apart from parts of Devon and Cornwall look like they will be affected this week.

"But the Met Office's forecast has eased off since last weekend and the weather may not be as bad as they thought it would be."

Alan also confirmed that following massive delays across part of the motorway network last year, there had been more advance preparation by the authorities in 2004.

He said: "I think local authorities and the Highways Agency are a little bit more realistic about it this year - nobody wants to fail."

Cheshire County Council spreads salt to prevent ice from forming on 1,200 miles of the county network on every night when frost or icy conditions are forecast.

There are 37 gritters spread strategically around the county, and they spread about 15,000 tonnes of grit onto the highway network in an average winter.

rfraser@guardiangrp.co.uk