HIGHWAYS bosses have insisted they have stockpiled enough grit amid warnings that other councils do not have enough for winter.

Oxfordshire County Council has about 30 to 35 per cent more rock salt in stock than it did this time last year, a spokesman said.

It had to ration the salt in January’s snow, though it did not run out of grit. The council criticised its supplier, Cheshire’s Salt Union, for failing to deliver any rock salt during December.

A survey by the Local Government Association found about a fifth of councils did not have the stocks they needed.

Rodney Rose, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “The law of averages would dictate that this winter is unlikely to see a repeat — however there’s no way it can be ruled out so we must be ready and prepared.

“Even in the mildest winters there will be cold, frosty mornings when roads need to be gritted to make them as safe as possible.

“Councils and salt suppliers came in for some criticism last year when salt stocks ran low. We were shrewd in how we managed our resources and salt never ran out, unlike in many other places.”