COUNCIL bosses have defended their policy of leaving school bus routes in West Somerset unsalted in freezing weather again this winter.

West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger has condemned the policy as "unacceptable."

As the Met Office predicted an increased chance of cold snaps in January and February, people living in rural parts of the district have been advised to help keep minor roads safe for school buses and other motorists by salting them themselves.

Mr Liddell-Grainger told the County Gazette: "This policy could again leave some rural school bus routes in a perilous state this winter, and is unacceptable."

As reported in the County Gazette, the council's winter services budget was slashed to the tune of £300,000 last year, but key highways were deemed exempt from the cuts.

Cllr Anthony Trollope-Bellew, who represents Watchet and the Quantocks on the county council, said local roads, which were previously salted because they were school bus routes, were taken out of the salting programme to cut costs.

"I think all bus routes should be salted for safety's sake," he said.

He said the rural road between Stogumber and Nether Stowey, travelled by children attending tiny Stogumber First School, was among routes that fell out of the salting programme.

"It's only criteria for being salted was that it is a school bus route, and these marginal cases were taken out of the programme."

Cllr Trollope-Bellew, who farms at Bicknoller, added: "In an ideal world the council would salt every road in the county, but that would cost an exorbitant amount of money.

"People who put salt out on the roads are helping the keep down their council tax."

A spokesman for the county council suggested people use salt provided in roadside bins to keep rural roads free of ice.

She said: "Parish councils request salt bins for highway purposes which are paid for by them.

"The bins are kept topped up with salt and grit by the county council's highways team to encourage self-help."

She added: "A link is provided from the salting network to schools with more than 300 pupils when located outside of a 40 mph speed limit, and to schools with more than 500 pupils located within a 40 mph speed limit."

She said the budget for winter maintenance this year was £1,168,800.

The council has promised to use money from the emergency contingency budget to clear snowdrifts from roads.