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Winter service

Introduction

The Council is committed to providing an efficient winter service and aims to keep the most important roads safe and as free as possible from wintry hazards. To do this precautionary salting is carried out by a fleet of 21 gritters working on primary routes covering over 690kms (around 69%) of the road network.

Primary salting routes are made up of classified roads, most bus routes, major through routes between towns, villages and large residential areas and routes to emergency service premises.

Other roads will be treated during extreme and prolonged icy conditions or after snow has fallen generally after requests from the public. These roads are assigned a priority and dealt with accordingly but only when the primary routes have been cleared and made safe.

Because it is impossible for the gritters to spread salt on every road, over 500 salt bins are provided at key points throughout the district for use by residents, motorists and pedestrians on a self help basis.

How do we know when ice and snow is on the way?

Weather conditions are monitored 24 hours a day throughout the winter. Council officers receive a detailed forecast from the Met Office around midday and a decision on the level of treatment needed is made.

The council has its own weather station located at Pecket Well, which constantly monitors the weather and road conditions. The information from this and other stations nearby assists Council officers to monitor the conditions and react to deteriorating or improving conditions.

The gritting fleet can be mobilised within 1 hour and it takes approximately 2 ½ hours to spread salt on all of the primary routes.

Difficulties can arise when rain is forecast to continue right up to the time of freezing or when the rain is forecast to turn to snow. The gritters must wait until the rain has stopped or the salt will be washed away. If the time of salt spreading coincides with the rush hours, the gritters can be severely delayed and get stuck along with the other traffic. The aim, wherever possible is to avoid these times.

How you can play your part

Despite all efforts of forward planning, no guarantee can be given that all the priority routes will always be completely free of ice and snow. There is a responsibility on everyone of us to drive with extra care when there is likely to be adverse weather conditions. Forecasting has greatly improved but sudden weather changes still occur and motorists should be aware that:

• Even when roads have been salted it takes time for the salt to begin to work.
• In extreme weather conditions even salting will not prevent roads from icing up.
• Rain can wash salt off roads allowing them to refreeze.
• Some roads, particularly the higher routes, may be blocked.

Advice for motorists

• Ask yourself if your journey is absolutely necessary.
• Drive more slowly both on salted and untreated roads.
• Use dipped headlights.
• Drive in the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin.
• Keep well away from the car in front.
• Always be well prepared. Take extra clothing food and drinks particularly on longer journeys. Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged.

What to do if you get stuck

• Stay with your vehicle until help arrives if at all possible.
• If you have to leave your vehicle stay well away from the roadside.
• Make yourself and your vehicle visible to other motorists.
• Try to position your vehicle so that emergency service vehicles and winter service vehicles can pass.
• Contact the police if your only option is to abandon your vehicle.

Facts and figures

• 80% of all salt spreading operations take place between 6pm and 9pm and between 5am and 8am.
• Ice is most likely to occur between 6am and 8am.
• Approximately 9000 tonnes of salt are spread during the average winter.
• The gritters treat the roads approximately 65 times during an average winter.

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