Eight new gritting vehicles will be on standby to deal with the worst of the weather as Swindon Borough Council makes its final preparations in the run-up to the winter months.
The new vehicles, bought to replace the old ones which had reached the end of their life, will spread the 2,000-tonnes of salt the local authority has stockpiled to deal with freezing conditions on the Borough’s roads.
The Council’s gritting team will be on alert 24 hours a day to grit the priority routes, which cover around 210 miles of the Borough’s 520-mile road network. They will also be on hand to plough the routes in the event of heavy snowfall.
It takes 25 tonnes of salt to treat the 210 miles of roads on the gritting routes each time the team goes out during freezing temperatures, and more than double that when it snows. Each run costs around £2,500 for all vehicles and drivers, so it is important it is only done when necessary.
In order to make sure resources aren’t wasted, the team rely on a radar and temperature system that informs them when colder weather is approaching and likely to settle overnight.
Emergency planning procedures are also in place and staff in many service areas will be placed on standby in the event of severe weather.
Residents can find out more information about the gritting service by visiting the Council’s website and are also being encouraged to check their local salt bin, if they have one, to make sure it has been restocked and not damaged.
Councillor Chris Watts, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport, said: “As ever, our amazing winter weather team is ready to leap into action at a moment’s notice.
“The call can come at any time, which is why we have our winter weather procedures in place to deal with any incidents of severe weather.
“We have invested in our gritting fleet and have stocked up on as much salt as we feel we will need, but we always have contingency plans if the weather forecasts turn out worse than we are expecting. Our crews will always do their best to keep our residents safe and roads as accessible and safe as possible.”
Further information on Council services in an emergency or during adverse weather will be available on the Council’s social media accounts and through the Your Swindon newsletter available at: www.swindon.gov.uk/newsletter