A WOMAN whose car skidded and hit a wall near Coleford is shaken and angry that the council apparently would not grit the road because it wanted to save salt.

Sally Smith of Coalway lost control of her car at around 11am on Monday morning on her way to Parkend with her two-year-old daughter Eloise – a regular trip. The vehicle, less than a year old, is probably a write-off, she has been told.

She said last year the road was gritted but had not been treated before her car skidded, hit the wall, rolled over and back upright with Eloise fortunately unharmed. Sally herself says the accident has left her sore and shaken.

"One witness came over to tell me that she had rung the council twice in the morning asking for grit as there had already been four more minor accidents before mine," she said. 

"She had told them how dangerous it was but was told the road would not be gritted as they needed to hold on to salt stocks.

"When the police arrived, one policeman told me that they had also been on to the council that morning asking them to grit that particular section of that road and that they had also been told it would not be possible for the gritter to come out as they need to avoid running out of grit like last year.

"After my accident the police made them grit it. 

"Not gritting roads can surely not be the answer to avoiding running out of grit."

Jenny Wilks, area manager, Gloucestershire Highways, said: "The route from Coleford to Parkend down Fetter Hill is on one of our Primary salt routes and has been treated regularly throughout this prolonged period of cold weather. Gloucestershire Highways did receive a call from the Police on Monday December 6 and raised an immediate response to re-salt this section of carriageway following this report."

A police spokesman said: "We always work closely with the Highways Agency to ensure our roads are safe.

"Weather conditions like these present many challenges so I would advise motorists to exercise caution and let us know of any incidents as soon as possible."