Road Gritting/Winter Maintenance

During the winter, the Council’s streetcare contractor, Ringway, will pre-salt principal and other heavily-trafficked roads (primary routes) if weather forecasts show that it’s necessary. Last winter, these primary routes were pre-salted on 23 occasions. Less frequently used roads (secondary routes) will be salted and/or cleared of snow during particularly severe weather conditions.

Treating roads in this way relies on the salt dissolving. Under the streetcare contract, pre-wetted salt was successfully trialled last season and will continue to be the main treatment. The Council uses an automated ice prediction system based on specific forecasts for the Borough that are provided by the Met Office. This enables a faster response to local weather conditions and earlier pre-salting of the primary routes before snow or ice sets in.

Some locations not on the primary routes, have also been identified where regular spot salting will be carried out. For an effective service, salt bins are located at these critical locations to help residents salt nearby roads and footpaths. These are not intended for use on people’s own property. The bins will be re-stocked regularly to make sure there is enough salt when it is most needed.

The winter maintenance programme runs from the second week in November 2007 until the first week of April 2008.