October 2022
Welcome
Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of the Highways Bulletin from Staffordshire County Council. The theme for this month is our winter operations.
Winter service
Our winter maintenance operations have started and will run right through until April.
We have one of the largest winter gritting operations in the country, with around 43% of our network (6,000 kilometres) receiving a precautionary treatment when our monitoring of the weather and road conditions deems it necessary.
The majority of gritting around the county takes place during nightshift operations. During snow events our gritting fleet is out regularly and around the clock in some very tough conditions. Our gritters are also fitted with snow ploughs, so when the bad weather really hits, we're ready.
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Gritting crews ready to roll this winter
Our gritters have been put through their paces now that the winter gritting season is officially underway.
Gritting crews (including Mark and Ant here) are now ready to roll whenever the temperature drops.
With more than 40-plus gritters and snow ploughs, and more than 20,000 tonnes of salt stockpiled, Staffordshire is well prepared for any adverse weather conditions.
Our gritting crews will be focusing on the major routes and extending to the wider network in prolonged ice and snow conditions.
The county’s hill contractors are also called into action on the higher ground in the Staffordshire Moorlands.
You can find out more about how the county prepares for winter by clicking on the button below.
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What is grit?
We use rock salt, which we refer to as grit, to reduce the risk of icy conditions on the roads. The salt is brown because it’s unrefined and has a gritty texture.
When do we grit?
Temperatures and road conditions are monitored from weather stations across the county which help our team of Winter Decision Makers make the call as to when and where to send out the gritters. The decision on when to grit roads is also subject to detailed advice on predicted weather conditions from national forecasters (MET Office).
Where do we grit?
In Staffordshire we have a mixture of Primary and Extended Treatment networks.
The Primary network covers the main roads linking people to work, employment and health services for example. It is gritted whenever there is a risk of snow or ice forming on the roads.
The extended treatment network will only be treated when prolonged freezing and/or snow conditions are expected; it will not be treated in marginal weather conditions when such extended periods of ice and snow are not expected.
Gritting operations in the more remote Staffordshire Moorlands area are different than that in the rest of the county. Some of these areas are up to 1,200 feet above sea level and tend to experience harsher weather conditions.
You can view which roads are gritted on our interactive gritting route map.
More information can be found on our Gritting FAQs page.
Driving in snow and ice can be tricky, but there are a few simple checks you can do to make sure you're prepared for bad weather:
- Check your oil levels and top up if necessary
- Check your tyre tread depth and air pressure, as well-maintained tyres will give you better traction and grip on icy and wet road surfaces
- Check your wiper blades and screen wash - rain, snow, ice and even salt from gritted roads can make your windscreen dirty, so check that your wipers are clean and you have enough screen wash for your journey
- Check that your lights and indicators are all working properly and replace bulbs and fuses when required
More guidance on this can be found on the Met Office website.
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