Let it snow… Scotland has plenty of salt and grit

Extra gritters and a huge supply of salt are in place to help tackle any repeat of last winter’s severe weather, the transport minister said yesterday.

Keith Brown gave details during a debate at Holyrood of the Scottish Government’s preparation for heavy snow and harsh conditions.

Politicians are keen to avoid a repeat of last year’s chaos, which saw gridlock on major routes and the army called in to dig out parts of Edinburgh.

Anger at the way the problems were managed last year led to the resignation of transport minister Stewart Stevenson.

Yesterday, Mr Brown told MSPs that while winter should come as no surprise, extra precautions were in place.

He said: “Transport Scotland has prepared for the coming winter with additional equipment and improved information for people who are on the move.

“From 1 November, 23 additional gritters will patrol the most strategically important routes ahead of, and during, the morning peak, when there is risk of snow and ice, and adding to our ploughing capability during snowstorms.”

Other supplies include snowblowers and ploughs. He added: “There will be more salt stocked in Scotland than what was used during the whole of last winter.”

Mr Brown said work had been carried out to ensure better communication between public services and the drivers of heavy goods vehicles, given the number of jack-knifed lorries blocking routes last year.

An extra £2.2 million has been invested by First ScotRail to improve its trains to cope with unusually cold weather.

Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald welcomed efforts to better prepare, but added: “If things go wrong, there is little merit in blaming someone else. The buck stops with ministers.”

Jackson Carlaw, the Conservative transport spokesman, called for communications to the public this year to carry authority.