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Gritting Priorities

Selection of Carriageway routes for Precautionary Salting

A prioritised network of precautionary treatment routes, which also forms the basis for snow and ice clearance priorities, has been developed based on the network hierarchy, peak traffic flows and type of use. 

The criteria used to select these routes is listed below:

1. Main classified routes (A&B roads)
2. Main distributor of spine roads
3. Main access routes to shopping areas
4. Principal bus routes
5. Primary routes serving substantial villages/communities
6. Access routes to hospitals, schools, cemeteries etc
7. Access to police, fire, ambulance and rescue services
8. Main industrial routes of importance to the local economy
9. Areas where know problems exist, such as exposed areas, steep gradients and other roads liable to icing.

Treatment Priorities and response Times

A higher priority is given to Classified Routes (A & B roads).  The majority of these routes will be salted within two hours of the gritter leaving the depot.  However, for practical reasons, to minimise route length, a few Classified Routes are not treated until later in the prescribed routes.

All Classified Routes are treated within three and a half hours of the gritter leaving the depot.

Priority is subsequently given to the remainder of the precautionary salting network.  These routes are salted, where practical, following completion of the high priority routes and the aim will be for all routes to be salted within four and a half hours of the gritter leaving the depot.

Where gritting routes cross County boundaries, agreements are in place with the relevant neighbouring authority to ensure complete network coverage whilst allowing the most efficient route for each authority’s vehicles.  It must be noted that treatment of these roads will be in line with the policy and action being undertaken by the relevant Authority. 

Defined Network of Precautionary Salting Routes

A defined network of routes selected using the above criteria, with regard to local conditions, has been produced and is salted as weather conditions require.  There are approximately 411kms.  (salted lengths) of priority routes.

This defined network is reviewed annually to allow for any changes to the highway network, changes in local conditions or to address known problem areas.  Occasionally some minor routes sometimes have to be removed from the precautionary treated network due to the inability of the gritters to travel the route safely.  The main reason for such changes is the route being made impassable by parked cars. 

Carriageway routes for the Clearance of Ice and Snow

Even slight accumulations of snow can lead to treacherous icy surface under the action of traffic when the temperature of the surface is below freezing point.  Every effort is made to keep the precautionary network clear of ice and snow.  However, under certain conditions such as heavy snow and where snow is preceded by rain, which prevents effective pre-treatment, accumulations of snow on the precautionary gritting network are unavoidable.

In times of persistent ice and snow the main routes are cleared first.  Other carriageways and footways are treated as resources allow with regard to the likely duration of the conditions.  The exception to this is where local conditions such as heavier snow on the higher routes or drifting snow in exposed areas warrant special attention. 

Often snow only falls on the higher routes and a selective response is required involving a reduced number of gritters.

A priority order has been established for the clearance of ice and snow, which is as follows:

1. Main classified routes (A&B roads)
2. Access roads to hospital and emergency service station
3. The remainder or the precautionary salting network
4. Other routes known as urgent medical and important industrial routes
5. Access to public facilities – cemeteries, schools etc.
6. Other Class II and III roads providing access to communities
7. Remaining bus and milk collection routes
8. Other urban roads
9. Other rural roads
10. Roads serving isolated dwellings
11. Other roads

Requests from members of the public for clearance of snow and ice are prioritised by the Duty Forecaster or the Duty Supervisor using the above hierarchy with regard to the resources available, the location of those resources and the weather forecast.  Although priorities will also be changed to cope with urgent medical emergencies too.

Due to the popularity of visits to Moel Famau in wintry conditions it has been agreed that, ONLY ON THE FORECAST OF SNOW, the unclassified road from Tafarn y Gelyn to Bwlch Pen Barras car park will receive a precautionary treatment.  This will be specifically mentioned by the Forecasting Officers.

Treatment / clearance of ice and snow on footways and cycle-ways

It is the Council’s policy to encourage walking and cycling but it is not considered practicable, due to the substantial resources required (which are not currently available) and the operational difficulties, to routinely salt footways or cycle-ways on a precautionary basis.

To assist footway users grit bins are provided at selected locations for self help use by the public on footways as well as carriageways

Conventional carriageway salt application does give some coverage to a substantial number of adjacent footways.

However, where snow or persistent ice does form on footways it is cleared following a priority system listed below subject to resources being available and in consideration of the weather forecast.  Treatment and clearance of ice and snow on footways is usually carried out in normal working hours only.

Priorities for footway treatment (persistent ice or snow only):

1. Town Centre footways and pedestrian areas
2. Other shopping areas and busy shop frontages
3. Main pedestrian routes, including Safe routes to School, access to hospitals, footways in proximity to sheltered housing, and OAP areas, links to main urban bus routes, footbridges on main routes
4. Access to other public buildings, doctors surgeries, cemeteries etc
5. Steep section of footway, residential subways and associated steps
6. Other bus pedestrian routes
7. Other residential areas
8. Industrial Estates
9. Low use rural footways, surfaced footpaths, off road cycle-ways
10. Not – treated – unsurfaced footpaths, public rights of way, and private footways.

Footways are treated or cleared using the above priority system as resources allow.  Practically this means that except during prolonged periods of ice or snow footways in categories 7-9 are not normally treated. 

Clearance of ice and snow on unadopted footways in council housing areas and complexes is the responsibility of the Housing Department.

Schools and colleges are responsible for their own school clearance.  They may call on additional Environmental Services or Private Contractor labour if required, the cost of which is rechargeable.