HIGHWAYS
E GRIT
TRU
As the temperatures fall,
the council’s roads team
is on 24-hour standby to
keep main routes clear
and traffic moving.
T
he council’s eight gritting
lorries do not wait for snow
before they start work. Using
data from the council’s
appointed weather forecaster, they
get out on to the streets as soon as
the road surface temperature drops
low enough.
This can even occur in autumn, if
the temperature has already dropped
low enough at night.
Unlike many other local authorities,
the council has its own purpose-built
storage barn for grit. This means
supplies can be stockpiled throughout
the year – as much as 4,500 tonnes can
be stored at any one time. That is the
equivalent of 714 double decker buses.
The borough has 355 miles of roads
and pavements and, during winter, more
than 1,000 tonnes of grit is often spread.
Early forecasts are predicting a
drier and colder winter than last year’s
wet and windy one, but the roads
team is prepared.
Councillor Bassam Mahfouz,
cabinet member for transport and
environment, said: “I am always
impressed with what I see at the grit
barn. We are well prepared for the
cold weather once again and we have
plenty of grit to keep our main roads
clear over the winter.
“When the temperatures drop, our
priority is to keep clear roads leading
to emergency sites such as hospitals,
and ambulance and fire stations;
and also to keep bus routes open. In
addition, we concentrate on gritting
the main commuter routes and
shopping areas.
“If snow settles, we’ll spread grit on
pavements in town centres, around
schools and hospitals. We’ll do the
same at Tube and bus stations and other
areas that are important to the economy
and well-being of the borough.
“Unfortunately, our team can’t get
around the whole of the borough, so
residential streets and pavements aren’t
normally gritted. And, even in the main
areas where gritting often does take
place, we ask people to take extra care
driving and walking during the winter
months. Please do not assume that all
roads and pavements have been gritted.”
Should you want to keep the
pavement outside your own house
clear, it is usef V