Salt myths and facts

Salt bin myths

Myth: the council never refilled the salt bin on my street

Hopefully, this is a myth, but with over 520 salt bins spread across the borough, there is always the chance one may be missed. There are a further 90 bins on the database that do not belong to us and are therefore not refilled as part of the winter service.

The salt in the bins is for use on public roads, pedestrian areas and footways only. You cannot use it on private properties.

The bins are refilled at the start of the winter season and we monitor how much it's used. We refill them once a week, or as often as staff resources allow, during periods of high demand. The refilling takes place on a rota basis per township across the borough.

If there is a need to preserve salt stocks in order to keep the strategic highway network open, then the frequency of refilling salt bins may be reduced.

If you think someone is misusing salt from the bins, you can report it to us in confidence.

If you think someone is stealing the salt bins, please report this directly to the police along with the make, model and registration number of any vehicle involved.