Wirral council reveals its winter gritting plans

Nov 30 2011 by Helen Hunt, Birkenhead News

WIRRAL council will grit more routes, use new equipment and put more grit bins throughout the borough as it prepares for winter.

The authority has put together its Highways Winter Service plan, which sets out how Wirral will be kept moving in the event of another severe winter with prolonged spells of icy weather or snow.

Council chiefs said the last two winters have “seriously tested” their readiness and response to problems.

Their improved plan follows a review of their actions in the past.

As well as looking at how they can improve, advice is being given to residents about things they can do to keep safe over the winter months.

Cllr Harry Smith, Wirral Council’s cabinet member for streetscene and transport services, said the authority was as “prepared as it could be”.

He said: “We have a duty as a council to keep people moving safely even when it is icy or there has been snowfall.

“We are as prepared as we can be – the salt barn is full to capacity and we have snow ploughs on the front of most of the gritting vehicles, which will be invaluable if we get snowfall like last year.”

Since last week, staff from the council and its highways contractor Colas have been on standby 24 hours a day, ready to respond to weather reports.

There are 10 full size gritters and two mini-gritters available for highways winter service operations and snow ploughs will also be available with each of the full-size gritters.

There are 10 main gritting routes and each has been amended and extended following the review of the winter maintenance operations.

The amendments reflect bus routes, certain school routes and strategic vehicle routes.

There are now 286 grit bins installed and stocked up across the borough to supplement the work the gritters do.