Residents in Hyndburn have been urged to help keep the roads safe and clear of snow and ice this winter.

County council bosses say they have more than 2,000 tonnes of grit stored away and three frontline gritters to keep the borough moving but claim they don’t have enough resources to cover all residential areas.

Oliver Starkey, county council highways manager for Hyndburn, warned many residential streets will not be serviced and urged people to take responsibility.

He said: “We can’t practically cover the whole network as we don’t have enough resources. The priority routes will always be given priority.

“There was a myth a year or two ago that if the public got involved in putting grit on roads they could be prosecuted.

“That’s just not the case and we would encourage people to do as much as they can to be helpful. Go to the builders merchants, there is salt available from the council and there’s no harm putting cooking salt or sand on your path if you get desperate.”

Priority networks include large population centres, serving hospitals, ambulances and fire stations, roads leading to main centres of employment, important transport routes and those providing single access to villages. Footpaths in the centres of Accrington, Church, Oswaldtwistle, Rishton, Great Harwood and Clayton-le-Moors also come under their priority gritting network.

The state-of-the-art gritting vehicles have now been installed with sat-nav systems which bosses say will help drivers who are not familiar with the area. Arrangements have also been made with farmers and contractors to help clear snow and Hyndburn council officers could also be drafted in to clear footways in retail areas.

There are around 180 grit bins across Hyndburn which are provided for people to use on the roads. The county council is appealing for people not to use the grit in the bins for personal use.

Mr Starkey said: “We have a strict criteria where we will put grit bins. We have them on steep hill areas and roads running down to the main roads so people can spread a bit of grit on them It isn’t fair for them to use it for their own convenience. If they do they are depriving people of it when they need it.”

The priority routes for Hyndburn and a dedicated winter advice service is available on the county council website.