As Scotland braces itself for another fortnight of sub-zero temperatures, Fife Council has forecast stocks could run out by this morning despite Scottish Government intervention yesterday. Most councils were understood to be affected.

The authority complained that the worst weather conditions in 20 years had led to an increased demand on all salt suppliers, meaning Fife and other councils had received less than expected.

It said the problems came despite having contacted the Scottish Government before Christmas about diminishing salt stock levels in Fife and other council areas, warning there was the possibility of a critical situation across many areas.

The AA said last night it would look for assurances that urgent action would be taken to ensure motorists were safe on Scotland’s roads.

Paul Watters, head of roads policy at the AA, said: “It is unthinkable we should reach a situation like this. It is a desperate situation for Scotland’s drivers and we have to ask what is the plan now?”

In Fife, deliveries of salt arrived on Tuesday last week but supplies were less than the council anticipated.

A further 50 tonnes of salt were delivered yesterday afternoon but the authority said more was required. Another batch is expected tomorrow but the council is concerned it will not be sufficient.

The Scottish Government moved last night to stress that it had made efforts through Scottish Resilience, its civil emergency wing, to find new supplies and was confident there was sufficient for the immediate future.

The concerns came as the Met Office warned that Arctic conditions were set to last for the first half of the month.

Bob McLellan, Fife Council’s head of transportation, said: “This is a situation we and other councils never expected to find ourselves in, as we had no reason to believe our salt suppliers did not have enough reserves.

“Most, if not all, Scottish councils appear to be in a very similar situation and stock levels are at critically low levels in many councils.

“Obviously, if we are unable to grit the roads there will be a potential increased risk to the public and we urge everyone to exercise extreme caution when travelling and venturing outdoors.”

But Finance Secretary John Swinney insisted last night the Scottish Government was “working tirelessly” and the situation had been resolved.

“Salt levels are sufficient at present to deal with the situation -- any suggestion to the contrary is not correct -- and our operating companies are regularly replenishing their stocks.”

Glasgow City Council confirmed last night it had been approached by other local authorities which had been looking for help with supplies of grit and salt but it was “confident” it had enough to see it through the cold snap.

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: "We are confident we have enough supplies of salt to see us through this cold snap. We are using 600 to 800 tonnes each day and priority routes take around 200 tonnes.

"We are also mixing grit with salt for economy to make it last."

The council said 350 staff are on winter maintenance duties and 26 gritting vehicles are being used.

A spokeswoman for Aberdeenshire Council said stocks were "extremely low" but she said the council is expecting a delivery of 5,000 tonnes of salt today.

East Lothian Council said it had 180 tonnes of salt on Saturday but is also expecting a delivery today.

Road gritters in Dundee are doing only high-priority routes, such as main roads and bus routes.

A council spokesman in Dundee said: "A further delivery of salt is due on Friday and in the meantime we are continuing to grit as normal."

Edinburgh City Council said it had a few hundred tonnes of grit and salt left but it is expecting another delivery today or tomorrow, either by road or by sea at Rosyth.

Aberdeen City Council said it did not have any problems with salt stocks.

A spokesman for Perth and Kinross Council said gritting has continued throughout the cold spell and supplies have "never been an issue" in the area.

The council had grit delivered last night and is expecting another delivery next week.

In Stirling, supplies are also holding up and a spokeswoman said it is expected to be sufficiently covered up until the weekend.

A Midlothian Council spokesman said a delivery of salt was received today and additional deliveries are scheduled from Wednesday onwards.

He said: "We have also organised extra snow-clearing equipment and our road crews are continuing to work day and night to try to keep priority routes clear and minimise disruption for our communities in the face of the heaviest snowfall in at least 25 years."

Pat Watters, president of local authority body Cosla, said it is "a difficult period for the whole country" and praised council workers for their efforts to keep roads open.

"What we are seeing and having to deal with is the longest cold snap in Scotland for decades and I pay tribute to the work that has already been done by council staff.

"Council staff who have worked long hours in difficult circumstances during a holiday period to keep the roads network open and functioning as best as possible.

"Local government is currently working with the Scottish Government to ensure that the salt supplies we have gets to the right places at the right time.

"This is a difficult period for the whole country but the trick, as I say, is getting what salt we have to the pressure points."