NL winter weather fleet ready

Gritting and salt arranged

Winter preparations are under way across North Lanarkshire – with 20,000 tonnes of salt and 114 vehicles at the ready in the event of ice and snow descending.

Council contractors Amey have a fleet of 29 gritter lorries and 14 tractors with snow blades fitted, while the local authority itself has another 24 mini tractors with gritting and snowclearing capacity.

Home care teams have a fleet of 40 4x4 vehicles, with another 17 on standby if needed, allowing them to reach elderly and vulnerable residents more easily in poor weather conditions.

The council area’s 2250 salt bins have been filled, while all schools also have salt supplies to keep playgrounds and entrances clear of snow and ice.

Glenboig councillor Michael McPake, who is North Lanarkshire’s infrastructure convener, said: “The council has all its plans in place to deal with the impact of winter weather conditions on our roads and on all the local services we provide.

“It’s equally important that residents take time to prepare – if you drive regularly, have a winter emergency kit available and keep your mobile charged.

“At home, keep a supply of non-perishable food, water, baby and pet food, nappies and medicines; and check traffic reports and public transport information before any journey.

“Don’t leave it until the snow and ice arrives.”

Officials from both the council and Amey are now monitoring weather forecasts each day to ascertain if the road network should be treated with salt; while janitors and restorative justice teams will be on standby to clear pavements around sheltered housing complexes and tower blocks.

A spokesperson for North Lanarkshire Council said: “The council has a clear priority system for treating roads and footpaths during winter weather.

“The main road network is treated first along with main roads around schools, access roads to hospitals, key police and fire stations, main bus routes and town centres.

“Priority routes cover 920 kilometres, 57 per cent of the public road network in North Lanarkshire.

“Information on gritting routes and any services affected by winter weather is available at www. northlanarkshire.gov.uk/ winter and by following @ nlcwinter on Facebook and Twitter.”

Plans in place to deal with winter weather

220113snow_3 Ready for action Gritters and tractors are all set to be deployed