SAND from Wirral’s coastline is being used to shore up gritting supplies.

As temperatures plummeted across the borough last week, contractors removed build-ups of sand from the beach and foreshore at Leasowe and Wallasey.

The sand will be mixed in with salt for road gritting.

Wirral Council said the removal of sand from areas within the North Wirral Foreshore Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) – “to enable access” – had been agreed with Natural England – but Leasowe Councillor Ian Lewis said this contradicted earlier assurances that no sand would be taken from the protected part of the site.

Cllr Lewis told the News: “I am disappointed that the council needs to use sand from a designated, protected part of our local environment.

“Is there really no sand available from anywhere else in the borough?

“I hope Natural England and, locally, the Friends of North Wirral Coastal Park, will be fully consulted by the council on how the area will be reinstated.”

Councils across the UK have been forced to look at alternatives to grit as supplies dwindled after last week’s heavy snowfall with one, Gloucestershire County Council, buying in 500 tonnes of tablet salt.

A spokesman for Wirral Council said: “Contractors have been removing windblown sand that has accumulated at Leasowe Bay and Wallasey Beach in areas outside the designated North Wirral Foreshore Site of Special Scientific Interest to mix with salt for road gritting.

“In addition to this, a small amount of sand will need to be removed from the SSSI to enable access.

“The council has discussed this with Natural England, who have agreed this course of action.”

wirral news.co.uk

There is sand, and plenty of it at Eastham Sand, back of Vauxhalls!! Problem is that its a private company and the poor council will have to pay for it....... less money in their pockets methinks!!
Theres also a dissused sand and cement yard in Birkenhead docks with old sand in!!

funny the sand has been metioned i went through the m53 at 2pm after it had been closed because of the drain failiure and it looked like they had used sand you dont normally dont spot the grit on the roads.

The sand had blocked the drains? Lol, genius.

Hahahahaha - next the council will be using something really dumb to grit the roads - like bird seed. Imagine that? M53 closed due to large pigeon gathering.

It was salt that they used on M53 - it stayed that colour because they used so much of it.

i thought it was a water main failure on rivacre road that caused the blockage not failed drains,apparently the water was up to 18" deep and then froze over night.

yes it was couldnt be bothered to fix my post lol

still cannot believe a burst water main could have closed a motorway glad i didnt have to travel that way.

We didn't really travel Uggla - we just kind of sat looking at each other for 2 hours and moved a few feet every so often. 2.5 hours to get to Warrington.

yeah someone i worked with taken 2 hours to get to chester lucky for me i was waiting for a delivery that didnt arrive until after 1pm

If my memory serves me right didn't the council take sand from New Brighton years ago to treat an oil spillage at Tranmere, soon after putting it there in the first place as part of regenerating New Brighton beach.