Some motorists in Happy Valley-Goose Bay are angry that salt is being used on Labrador highways.

The Department of Transportation and Works used salt last week to remove about an inch of ice on the road from Happy Valley-Goose Bay to North West River. Sand is normally used.

Driver Dominic Dickman said the salt was a surprise and will lead to costly vehicle repair bills. He said government should go back to using sand on the roads.

"Salt is so corrosive to vehicles on the road," said Dickman. "There's lots of sand there... for the past I don't know how many years, as long as I can remember anyway ... it was all sand on the roads."

Meanwhile, transportation minister Paul Davis said his department had to use salt last week for safety reasons. Davis said nothing else would work.

"Normally the sand will bite or grip some part of it, but this ice was so smooth," said Davis. "It was a windy day, and the sand was just being blown right off the road, so [it was] having no effect whatsoever. You don't see that very often."

Davis added that salt will be used again if necessary.

About 400 people have joined a Facebook group dedicated to promoting the use of sand only on Labrador roads.