Somerset County Council is investing an extra £200,000 into its road gritting programme after reviewing its winter policy.
The county’s highways teams are all set for winter, with 23 gritters on standby and 7,000 tonnes of salt ready to roll when temperatures drop.
The ‘precautionary gritting network’ – comprising of roads that are treated every time ice or snow is expected – will be increased from approximately 720 miles last winter to 900 miles of road this winter. It comes after criticism last winter that some key roads were not treated due to funding cuts.
Among the roads in the Burnham-On-Sea area added this winter will be The Causeway, running from Watchfield to Woolavington.
The council says that 21 per cent of the total roads in Somerset are on the ‘precautionary gritting network’ and a similar level to 2017/18, although due to the policy review it is not the exact same roads. You can check which roads are now included at www.travelsomerset.co.uk/
Highbridge County Councillor John Woodman, who is Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Our highways teams do a fantastic job keeping our roads clear of snow and ice throughout the winter, working hard when conditions are at their worst.”
“This year we’re pleased to be investing more money and gritting more roads than before, but our advice to drivers is unchanged.”
“The vast majority of roads are not gritted and ice can still form on gritted roads so always drive to the conditions and take extra care in winter.”
Somerset County Council receives detailed forecasts every day and will send the gritters out whenever road surface temperatures are predicted to drop below 1C and frost or ice is expected.
Precautionary salting normally takes place before temperatures drop, meaning gritters are often out in the evening or early morning.
In the event of snow, the Council has established emergency plans in place and employs farmers and snowplough contractors to clear snow as quickly as possible.
Roadside grit bins will continue to be filled when requested by parish councils and a new snow warden scheme has been introduced to enable parish council volunteers to assist with localised snow clearance in their communities.
Check which roads are gritted in the searchable online map or a printable version is available here.
