The Government has, today, ordered local authorities to reduce their salt gritting of roads by 25% until Tuesday - despite the fact we are expecting further heavy snow to fall over the weekend.

This is a total disgrace and proves the government had not prepared adequately for the serious outbreak of bad weather.  For once, we were warned that this weather was coming - so why were better preparations not made in time?  The whole country is coming to a halt despite the best efforts of individuals and organisations that are doing their best to maintain our daily life.  Coming on top of the longest and deepest recession in living memory, this could spell the final blow for thousands of small businesses and shops.  

UPDATE: Sunday 10 January (from BBC News)

"The Highways Agency has stopped treating motorway hard shoulders in England. Salt ordered from abroad is not due to arrive until 21 January.

But the agency's David Grunwell said the motorway and trunk road network was "running remarkably well" and that it had sufficient stocks for the conditions.

The AA said it raised concerns about salt supplies with the Local Government Association (LGA) before Christmas.

Spokesman Paul Watters told the BBC councils had reduced stocks by 250,000 tonnes during the past 10 years."

I rest my case.