1. John Dowie Department for Transport Chair of Salt Cell 24th March 2010

2. The Salt Cell John Dowie Director, Regional & Local Transport Directorate Department for Transport

3. The Salt Cell (1) Initiated on 6 January at request of suppliers and customers regarding salt supply problems may have been too late ... but Salt Cell should only be triggered in exceptional circumstances Provides advice to salt suppliers on where deliveries are most needed Does not direct Local Authorities to surrender salt stocks; nor cut across LA contracts with suppliers

4. The Salt Cell (2) Membership comprises – DfT, HA, CLG, Cabinet Office, LGA, ADEPT, TfL, Devolved Admins Advice is based on: self-reported Highway authority stock levels salt required for one single treatment adjusted for weather forecast to derive days capability

5. The Salt Cell (3) The 20th and last meeting held last Tuesday morning 16th March The Salt Cell 2010 has provided delivery advice for almost 529,315 tonnes of salt When Salt Cell was first convened, 77 highway authorities found themselves with two days’ resilience or less No-one ran out, but at a cost …

6. UK Salt Producers Irish Salt Sales Kilroot Mine 10-15% of UK market Cleveland Potash Boulby Mine 35-40% of UK market Salt Union Winsford Mine approximately 50% of UK market + occasional imports

7. Dispatch vs Consumption (with Supplier Stockpiles) Salt Union (@12,000 tonnes dispatched per week day) Cleveland Potash (@ 7,200 tonnes dispatched per week day – but only until w/e 8th January!) Salt consumption Blanket snow across whole UK = 194,000 tonnes in 24 hours 1 national precautionary treatment = 32,400t (based on 20g/m2) National Salt Stocks (335,000 tonnes as of 16th March) + occasional imports

8. Dispatch vs Consumption (without Supplier Stockpiles) Salt Union (@ 5,500 tonnes dispatched per week day) Cleveland Potash (@ 3,200 tonnes dispatched per week day) Salt consumption Blanket snow across whole UK = 194,000 tonnes in 24 hours 1 national precautionary treatment = 32,400t (based on 20g/m2) National Salt Stocks (335,000 tonnes as of 16th March) + occasional imports

9. Critical Role of Efficiency Measures

10. Where do we go from here (1) Greater capacity entering winter – but a day’s extra capacity (resilience) only means we run out one day later! Joint procurement / joint storage facilities – but can local government agree funding, priorities? National/regional stockpiles – but unintended consequences? Will LAs reduce their purchases?

11. Where do we go from here (2) Increase UK production capacity – technical constraints? Is there a business case? More diversified supply base – but can we rely on imports being delivered? All of Europe was looking for salt. Make efficiency measures more permanent – but local acceptance?

12. Piecing Together the Solution … In-season restocking Pre-season stocks In-season usage

13. Thank you for listening And especial thanks to all those who contributed to the work of Salt Cell during Winter 2010