Winter warning

Council prepared for snow

North Lanarkshire Council are braced for the winter weather.

The local authority and its partner Amey are now monitoring weather forecasts daily to decide if the road network should be treated with salt.

Over 2250 salt bins have been filled and 20,000 tonnes of salt is available to treat roads and paths when required.

Amey has a fleet of 29 gritter lorries and 14 tractors with snow blades fitted, while the council has another 24 mini-tractors with gritting and snow-clearing capacity.

“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,” said Councillor Michael Mcpake, convener of the Infrastructure Committee.

“It is equally important that residents take time now to prepare for the winter ahead.

“If you drive regularly, have a winter emergency kit available and keep your mobile charged; at home make sure you keep a supply of non-perishable food, water, nappies and baby food, pet food and medicines; and before setting out on any journey, check traffic reports and public transport information.

“Don’t leave it until the snow and ice arrives – by taking some time now to get ready, you could prevent problems later.”

Janitors and teams from the council’s Restorative Justice services are ready to clear pavements around sheltered housing complexes and tower blocks, while home care teams have a fleet of 40 4x4 vehicles, allowing them to reach elderly and vulnerable residents. A further 17 4x4s are available, if needed.

The council will treat the main road network first, along with main roads around schools, access roads to hospitals, key police and fire stations, main bus routes and town centres.

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

The Advertiser has already reported that South Lanarkshire Council tested 40 gritters, 66 snowploughs, one snowblower, 19 tractors and five loaders in a ‘dry run’ for the months ahead.

It has 35,000 tonnes of grit in stock ahead of the winter period.

The council has all its plans in place