You are here: Home: Transport and streets: Highways: Winter service: Winter service policy

Winter service policy

Calderdale Highways have recently undertaken a review of it's winter service. The report details all elements of the review and the changes which will be made to this service.

Winter Service Review Report [PDF file 770KB]|

1. Roads

   Precautionary Routes

   Roads included on precautionary salting routes include classified roads, bus routes, major through routes between towns, villages and large residential areas, routes to emergency service premises, routes to schools and, where possible, routes to health centres. 

   Service Level: Precautionary salting will be carried out when the weather forecast predicts that ice may form on the road surface. Clearance of snow and ice. Immediate assistance on request from Emergency Services.

   Other Prioritised Roads

   Other prioritised roads not on precautionary routes. These are assigned a priority 1 to 3 based on such factors as gradient, topography, number of dwellings etc (1 being highest priority).

   Service Level: Salted in extreme icy conditions or after snow has fallen, following a request from the public. Requests will be dealt with in order of priority rating, after precautionary routes have been cleared, subject to availability of plant and only during the Council's normal working hours. Immediate assistance on request from Emergency Services.

   Other Roads

   Other roads not included in each of the categories above.

   Service Level: Unlikely to be treated except after prolonged snow or icy conditions and then only after precautionary routes and other prioritised roads have been dealt with. Immediate assistance on request from Emergency Services.

        To find out which roads are gritted, see our Gritting routes map

1. Pavements and Pedestrian Areas

   Pavements will not receive precautionary salting.  Salting and snow clearance will be carried out after a period of heavy snowfall or in extreme icy conditions. This service is provided in town and village centres, along shopping parades, on main roads where there is a significant pedestrian flow and on access paths to hospitals, bus stations, and schools, nurseries, doctor's surgeries/health centres, residential care homes and other establishments visited by vulnerable people.  Routes have been prepared to cover these areas and assigned a priority to ensure that the most important routes are cleared first.

2. Salt Bins and Salt Piles

   Requests for salt bins will be assessed using the Council's approved criterion.  Only sites which meet the required threshold on the approved scoring criterion will be supplied with a salt bin.  Unless placed for a specific reason, no salt bins or salt piles will be located on precautionary salting routes.  Salt piles will only be provided in rural locations.

   Salt bins and salt piles will be located on the highway network up to a maximum of 600 and 300 respectively.

   Salt bins and piles will only be replenished during normal Council working hours.

3. Newly Adopted Streets

   Newly adopted streets will be assessed and assigned a service level for road and pavement treatment according to the classifications detailed above.

4. Private Roads and Unadopted Streets

   With the exception of access roads to school premises, no service is provided and no salt bins or piles shall be provided.  Immediate assistance on request from Emergency Services will be provided where possible.

5. New Developments

   Developers of new build sites will be required to provide a winter service on roads and footways at a level determined by the Council until such time as the road becomes adopted by the Council.  Generally the level of service will accord to that which will be assigned under item 4 above.

6. Salt

   Salt from Council stocks will not be supplied to members of the public. Salt can be purchased from builder's merchants and DIY stores for personal use.

   To find a local Builders Merchants visit Builders Merchants in West Yorkshire|

7. Enquiries and Service Requests

   Enquiries and service requests can be made by telephoning the Council's Street Care Contact Centre on 0845  245 7000 during normal working hours. Emergencies can be reported out of hours on 0845 1111137. During times of heavy snowfall all Council resources will be deployed keeping precautionary routes open. During these periods it will not be possible to respond to service requests on other roads.

back to top