County council shatter the myths about winter gritting...
MOTORISTS travelling across Leicestershire are being urged to take extra care this week and to combat the spate of cold weather, Leicestershire County Council’s gritting teams have been out treating roads across the county.
Whenever there is snow or ice forecast, the council’s 21 gritters and drivers go out spreading roughly 170 tonnes of rock salt across the road network.
However, during the winter months, when sub-zero temperatures hit the county, residents are often unsure on when the gritters go out, what routes are gritted and who clears snow and ice from the paths.
Now, the county council has put together a comprehensive list to shatter the biggest myths around gritting during the winter.
Myths Once a gritter has put salt on the road ice will melt This is not true! Spreading salt on the road is only the start of the de-icing process. Friction caused by the passage of vehicles on the grit is essential to complete the process. Overnight, when traffic levels are low, roads can remain icy for some time.
Spreading salt on fresh snow
will melt it more quickly This is not true! The most effective treatment is to remove the fresh snow before applying salt. The council fits snow ploughs on its gritters to remove the snow before the road is treated. If residents are considering spreading salt on footways it is much more effective if they shovel or brush away the snow first and then apply the salt.
If you don’t see a gritter, it means
one hasn’t been out This is not true! The majority of the council’s precautionary gritting operations take place at night. There may be an impression that gritters haven’t been out because people do not see them, however, when the forecast dictates the gritters will have been out overnight pre-treating the surfaces before the snow falls or ice forms.
No matter what the temperature salt will melt the ice. This is not true! Salt in solid form mixes with ice to form a solution. When spreading at temperatures of minus 7 degrees centigrade salt in solid form becomes a solution at a slow rate and is less effective.
Gritting is done on an adhoc basis depending on the number of complaints that have been made. This is not true! Roads are divided into different categories. It depends on which category the road is in as to whether or not it will be gritted.
Priority 1 Routes (P1) - comprise Main Distributor Roads, all “B” roads, and those other routes that need to be travelled on in order to treat Main Distributor Roads and “B” roads.”
Priority 2 Routes (P2) – comprise heavily trafficked “C” roads (i.e. - those Secondary Distributor Roads not treated as part of the P1 network), locally important roads in the carriageway hierarchy, major bus routes not treated as part of the P1 network (in urban areas roads with eight or more service buses per hour and in rural areas two or more service buses per hour) and at least one route into all villages as far as is reasonably practicable.
P3 Routes are main estate roads and P4 Route roads are cul-de-sacs and other minor roads. It is unlikely that these will be treated as in reality the temperatures will often rise before resources become available to treat them.
The number of salt bins in each area is capped. This is not true! Salt bins are located on footway or verges and are located where there is a steep hill or sharp bend. There is no limit to the number of bins in each area. Requests for salt/grit bins should be made by telephoning local parish or town councils who can apply to the county council. An assessment of new requests is made in the summer.
It’s illegal to clear snow and ice from a public path or pavement. This is not true! There’s no law stopping you from clearing snow and ice. It’s unlikely that you’ll be sued or held responsible if someone is injured on a path or a pavement if it’s been cleared carefully.