Posted on: Friday 18 November 2022
Highways maintenance teams are checking gullies and drains as part of the Council’s winter preparedness plan.
Alongside gully clearing, all salt bins are being checked and refilled ready for winter.
The Council has a stock of 5,600 tonnes of salt, a fleet of 10 gritting vehicles, and a standby work force ready to react to changing conditions 24 hours a day throughout the winter. The service is staffed by a core of 30 drivers and officers on call a week at a time, supported by our Transport Unit who maintain the gritting vehicles.
Weather forecasts are received three times a day, and road temperatures are monitored by a series of weather stations across the borough. This allows the council to grit roads only when needed, and when it is most effective to do so.
All A and B roads, main bus routes, main distribution routes and routes in proximity to schools, industrial and retail areas are prioritised and will be treated on a precautionary basis when forecast conditions dictate, with other areas such as side roads and council owned car parks gritted in severe weather as and when resources allow.
There are 795 salt bins located across the borough for residents to use on adopted footways and side roads in their local areas. The council reminds residents to use the salt responsibly – a thin layer, spread evenly on surfaces that has been cleared of any snow first is usually all that is needed to be effective.
Councillor Mandy Owen, Executive Member for the Environment, said: “I would like to encourage residents to keep an eye on any highway gullies, and report any blockages as soon as possible.
“This is the time of year we get more rain and cold weather, so we want to make sure residents are prepared.
“When it comes to the cold weather, we currently precautionarily salt around 52 per cent of our highway network each time ice or snow is likely to form on the road surface. However, despite our best efforts, given the unpredictability of the weather, it’s not possible to keep roads completely free from ice and snow at all times.
“Therefore, we would like to remind drivers to take extra care over the winter months, reduce their speed and increase the distance between cars in front.”
Residents can use the council’s mapping system to check whether their road is on a gritting route, and to find their nearest grit bin.
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To report a damaged or empty grit bin call 01495 762200. Grit bins are only supplied for use on adopted roads and footways.