Highways bosses predict huge cost savings as they rethink road gritting policy

Tens of millions of pounds could potentially be wiped off local government spending in the UK if highways chiefs simply changed the way they store road salt, new figures suggest. 

Structure specialist
The cash savings – at a time when councils are under renewed pressure to cut costs – emerged after two local authorities predicted they could each make long-term economies of more than £1 million simply by transferring their externally stored salt into purpose-built “salt barns” purchased from structure specialist De Boer.

Salt barn 
Wigan Council, which recently installed a De Boer structure at its depot in Sovereign Road, Wigan, is estimating annual savings of £50,000 – making the salt barn self-funding within five years and adding up to £1.25 million of economies during the facility’s expected 25-year lifetime. 

Highways
Mark McCartney, the authority’s Highways Manager, explained: “Our main motivation was that last year, because the salt had been so saturated by rain earlier in the year, we had a problem with salt freezing. The salt we were spreading throughout the winter wasn’t really as effective as it should have been.

“If your salt is open to the weather you’re actually spreading twice as much as you would if it had been kept covered.” 

Gritting, structure and salt
Meanwhile the purchase of a salt barn by Milton Keynes Council is expected to save the authority more than £1.6 million over the same 25-year period. The structure at its Bleak Hall Depot means salt reserves are now protected from damaging wind and rain – cutting down on wastage and enabling the authority to switch to more efficient gritting products. 

Outside storage
Milton Keynes Council had estimated that 10% of stock being kept outside was previously lost through seepage. In addition, by moving supplies indoors, it has been able to switch to a form of coated salt that was unsuitable for outside storage but which reduces the rate of spread on roads by up to 40% without affecting performance. 

Gritters
As well as reducing the amount of salt being used, this means fewer return journeys to the depot by crews and that two new gritters that would have been necessary in coming years will not now be needed.

In total, Milton Keynes Council has estimated that £1,613,000 will be saved over the next 25 years by purchasing De Boer’s salt barn. 

Local authorities and environment
Robert Alvarez, De Boer’s Sales Director – Commercial, explained: “Storing road salt outdoors can be extremely costly, both to the environment and to councils’ budgets. By creating a purpose-built salt barn, local authorities can avoid seepage, can prevent salt supplies degrading and can look at alternative – often much cheaper or more efficient – substances.” 

Highways authorities
He added: “With more than 220 separate highways authorities across the UK, the potential benefits are huge. As well as the environmental advantages of using less salt, based on the experiences of Milton Keynes and Wigan councils, the potential cost savings nationally could run into many tens of millions of pounds.” 

Unitary authorities
De Boer has already provided salt barns to a number of local councils, including to unitary authorities in the Heads of the Valleys area of South Wales which created a shared salt barn to serve some of Britain’s highest and more exposed towns and villages. 

All Weather Hall
The most popular product being supplied by De Boer is its All Weather Hall, which was designed specifically to withstand severe Scandinavian winters, The structure has been used by councils and government departments across Europe for a wide range of storage purposes – from salt and minerals to vehicles, plant and machinery. 

Re-locatable and re-useable
It is re-locatable and re-usable and is available with a clearspan width of up to 50 metres. It even comes with optional additional features such as roller-shutter doors, mechanical extraction systems and advanced lighting and security. 

Councils
The councils in Milton Keynes, Wigan and South Wales have each opted for All Weather Halls, varying in size between 20 metres by 30 metres up to a massive 30 metres by 44 metres. 

Structures and semi-permanent
Despite having a life span in excess of 25 years, the structures are officially semi-permanent, which means they can be erected quicker and more cheaply than permanent buildings. De Boer’s structures have also frequently been extended or relocated, adding to their flexibility for users. 

Impressed by De Boer's structures
According to Mark McCartney, of Wigan Council, this was also a factor in the authority’s decision. “I was impressed that De Boer’s structures had been used extensively in Scandinavia,” he said. “However, we may move depots in a few years’ time so, if we do, we can take down the salt barn and move it. De Boer was also cheaper than alternatives.”