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Operating from our depot in all weathers, the fully trained gritting crews aim to keep all major roads passable and safe using specially designed equipment including computer-controlled salt spreaders, ploughs and footway gritters.
All managers involved in winter maintenance are fully trained to City and Guilds standard, the first authority in the country to have undertaken the qualification.
The department liaises closely with the meteorological office to predict the weather for the forthcoming hours and,
where possible, days.
Data is received from the weather sensors in the road, which give actual surface conditions, wind speeds and other important information relevant to accurate forecasting, then, by a process known as “thermal mapping”, the road surface temperatures can be accurately predicted for other roads throughout the borough. Weather forecasts and road conditions can be continually assessed throughout the day and night.
The borough itself is very diverse with trans-Pennine routes reaching over 1500 feet above sea-level and other roads within the borough falling below 400 feet. Several of these roads are vital links to other towns and constant attention must be paid to them in order to keep the local economy flowing effectively. This is carried out using a fleet of nine gritters, two footway gritters and a loading Shovel. When ice or snow is predicted we pre-salt a total of six routes which cover the majority of principal, classified and major bus routes throughout the borough. In the event of severe frost or snow, ploughing, gritting or blowing will operate continuously to clear routes.
During the average winter we use approximately 3000 tonnes of rock salt, during more severe winters we can use as much as 8000 tonnes. The salt used comes from mines 700 feet below the Cheshire plain in Winsford owned by Salt Union. The stocks are replenished weekly during the winter months as and when required.
The Council’s Winter Service objective is: -
“To provide an efficient and effective Winter Service so that traffic can move safely throughout the borough with the minimum of delay caused by adverse weather as far as is reasonably practical.”
The Council, and the recent legislation, recognises that only limited winter maintenance resources are available and it is not reasonably practical to treat all highways in the borough prior to the formation of ice. The Council has therefore prioritised highways to be treated by use of a hierarchy of needs. It is intended that the most heavily trafficked and strategically important roads will be treated. Highways to be treated will be known as the primary gritting network. Highways not included in this priority category will only be treated during periods of adverse and prolonged cold weather when resources allow.
Highway users requesting treatment of roads not included on the primary gritting route network during normal winter conditions will be advised to utilise grit boxes in the area.
During periods of adverse weather, such as snowfall, the Council recognises that it has insufficient resources to ensure that all highways in the borough are in a clear state. During such conditions it is recognised that some disruption to traffic flows is inevitable. During these periods, resources will be concentrated onto the main traffic routes. These are the major radial classified roads. Once again this complies with the Council’s hierarchy of needs by utilising available resources onto the most heavily trafficked roads.
If conditions dictate, resources to keep open trans-Pennine routes will be concentrated onto the A62 (Huddersfield Road). The A672 (Ripponden Road) will have secondary importance and will be treated and kept open until use of resources on this route prejudices keeping the A62 open. The A635 (Holmfirth Road) and the A640 (Huddersfield Road) will be closed to trans-Pennine traffic during adverse conditions in conjunction with Kirklees MBC.
As soon as conditions allow, and the conditions on the radial routes have been stabilised, resources will be redirected back onto the primary gritting route network. Once these have been treated, resources will be directed onto other roads throughout the borough. To ensure resources are used as effectively as possible, gritters will be allocated areas. In these areas they will treat as many through roads as possible. Limited resources will also be used to treat specific service requests.
For further information on snow clearing and gritting please call the Highways Maintenance Section of the Environmental Services Directorate on 0161 770 4421 / 4423 or e-mail gritting@oldham.gov.uk