Regarding the letter ‘Gritting staff do a sterling job’ (LT, February 18), no doubt Coun Ashton is correct with his statement and most people would agree with him.

But is he serious when he states that the mixture of salt and sand in the grit bins is solely for use on the pavements?

My understanding is – and most other readers would not disagree – that surely this mixture is to help people get to work and to the shops, and therefore should be applied to all roads.

We also pay our rates, and the grit bins should contain salt only to help us to get off our steep slopes to allow us to get there.

It is vital to the economy that we get there to keep the wheels of industry turning and also to be able to feed ourselves.

B White, Risedale Grove, Blackburn.