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salt association |
| our position: stock levels |
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DE-ICING STOCK LEVELS
The level of de-icing salt held in store by local authorities will vary enormously. Influencing factors will include the length of roadways identified in their Winter Maintenance Plans, the size and juxtaposition of storage facilities and the ease with which stocks can be replenished. There may also be commercial considerations such as optimum order levels or pricing contracts. More critically, there has been a tendency amongst some authorities to run-down stocks once December or January have passed. Over the past two years, this has caught-out a number of authorities when snow or ice has occurred in late spring, severely limiting their ability to maintain the highways. The problem is compounded by the reduction in available transport and the restrictions on drivers' hours. This can mean that, even when stocks are available at the mine, it may not be possible to transport it to the customers' sites, when required. The circumstances will vary between authorities. However, one suggestion is that authorities should not permit stocks to fall below the level required to service the full network at maximum utilisation for a period of one week, until after the end of April. To this should be added the time required to replenish stocks back to that level, bearing in mind that if roads have been brought to a standstill, as has happened in some regions over recent years, it may not be possible for replenishment vehicles to reach the depots. 22nd May 2008
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