LANCASHIRE’S salt stocks were not to blame for the state of the roads during the recent icy weather, according to highways chiefs.

An official report into the most severe winter for 29 years has concluded that things would have been just as bad if County Hall had build up a bigger supply in advance.

Bosses had built up 18,000 tonnes of rock salt before the onslaught - enough to cover the key road network for seven days.

The Winter Service Review makes a series of recommendations for next year, but these do not include increasing the amount of salt.

It also makes no reference to treating pavements, which has become a controversial point across East Lancashire in recent weeks, with opposition politicians claiming more should have been done to improve the slippery footpaths.

Responding to criticism over gritting levels, the report, by Brian Eagle in County Hall’s environment department, said: “It is a moot point as to whether an increased stock holding would have helped.

“Such was the speed of the salt stock crisis that it is likely that the county council would not have received as many deliveries from the salt supplier if we had had larger strategic reserves.”

It said Lancashire would have come under 'huge pressure' to donate to other areas if its stocks had been higher.

An extra 15,000 tonnes would have cost £500,000, it added.

The series of recommendations include providing better information on the council’s website, a review of grit bin provisions and better arrangements with district councils on how to deal with snow and ice.

And it said the council should consider turning to alternatives to rock salt, like pure grit, earlier in the winter before stocks run out.

It said the council should 'review options for getting the winter message out to highway users via various media and word of mouth', and provide councillors with advance briefings on the strategy.

It also recommends redesigning the winter leaflet provided by County Hall, at a cost of £1,000. The proposals were debated last week by members of Lancashire’s Sustainable Development Scrutiny Committee.

Meanwhile Justice Secretary Jack Straw, the MP for Blackburn, has called for a 'full investigation' into Blackburn with Darwen council’s gritting strategy, prompting a furious response from the town hall, who said their hands had been tied by government rations on salt supplies.

He said the borough’s pavements had been in a worse condition than other areas, claiming the council’s efforts were 'below the standards of comparable authorities'.

But council bosses hit back, with Tory Alan Cottam accusing him of 'politicising an essential service'.

Coun Cottam said the policy had not changed since Labour were in charge but suggested it would be reviewed before next winter.