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Winter Road Treatment FAQs

What's the difference between salting and gritting?

Nothing normally. The salt that is spread is "as dug" which means it includes some sand and so is known as grit.

Occasionally in areas of heavy snowfall grit can be used alone as salt can cause melting and refreezing of heavy snow if temperatures fall too low.

Can I grit the road outside my house?

We will treat where we can but will not be able to grit everywhere immediately.

For safety reasons grit bins are not left unlocked for everyone to use as this leads to litter and sometimes needles being left in them.

If you wish to use your own grit to get your own path clear take care - the council will not be responsible for any damage or accidents that occur as a result.

What time do you grit the roads?

Generally the coldest time is in the early hours of the morning, so the majority of gritting is carried out in the evening after the rush hour and before the ice starts to form.

However, weather conditions vary and so the teams will be directed to grit at the best time possible to prevent the formation of ice.

When this results in gritting during rush hour periods the task can take much longer than would normally occur.

Do you grit in ice or snow?

We will try to prevent the formation of ice by pre-gritting the main routes. If ice forms further salt may be required.

In snow, it depends on the forecast depth as to when the best time to salt is. However, generally gritting will commence prior to snowfall and then as frequently as possible after that until the snow stops falling and the roads are clear.

Who do I call to get my road gritted?

In general the teams will be working flat out during a period of severe ice or snow, so it is unlikely that roads that are not on the priority routes will be gritted even if you call.

However, if there is an exceptional circumstance like a broken water main that is causing severe ice to form then please see Who to Contact on the winter road treatment page.