Staffordshire County Council’s gritters were out on Thursday and Friday as snow and freezing temperatures hit the county.
Lots of people complained on our Facebook page about the state of major roads in and around Stone, like the A34. But the council reassured residents today that gritting teams were out on the county’s roads – including in Stone – since 5.30pm on Thursday, gritting major routes at once before heading out twice more last night and this morning to cover the extended network.
The county has a gritting map on its website (image above) which shows where the gritters target, in Stone and across the county. ‘A’ and ‘B’ roads are gritted during normal winter conditions – like recently – with some other roads only gritted during “severe weather”. Click HERE to see the map.
[box type=”shadow” ]Staffordshire County Council’s highways leader Mark Deaville said: “Our team has been out on the roads countywide overnight working hard. Given the forecast our gritters were out on the roads during Friday daytime. Once the grit is down it does need cars passing over it to help spread effectively. Despite the gritting it is important motorists take extra care and allow extra time for their journeys.”
He added: The forecast for the next few days is poor and we will be watching it closely and acting as necessary. We have 20,000 tonnes of grit immediately available for more than 40 gritters and we will protect the county road network to keep everyone on the move. We’ll always treat our main roads if necessary and in prolonged periods of icy weather extend to other routes. We’re also grateful to our team of community Ice Busters, who are on standby to clear local paths.”[/box]
The decision to send out the gritting teams from five depots is made each evening. The county’s hill contractors are also called into action on the higher ground in the Staffordshire Moorlands if necessary. Temperatures and road conditions are monitored from nine weather stations and the team of winter decision makers then make the call to action.
On routine winter days and nights, gritters will be focusing on the major routes and extending to the wider network in prolonged ice and snow conditions. People can find out more about where the teams grit and how they decide to grit at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/winter
There’s lots of winter safety advice on the Staffordshire Prepared website
4 comments
Gritting Services
Great work Staffordshire County Council. Great read. Thanks for sharing Jamie.
Paul
Either the council are lying, their gritter drivers skipped work, or they used non-effective grit – the A51 and B5027 were NOT (effectively) gritted on the morning of Jan 15. I abandoned getting to work and turned round at Aston Lodge. In the time it took me to turn round, someone had crashed through the fence by the level crossing.
Anne Green
The bottom of Greenway Avenue needs to be gritted because as vehicles come off Greenway onto Valley road they could easily slip and go over into the river because there is a very dangerous blind corner when cars come round at such a speed so motorists have to be extra vigilant. It’s dangerous enough without the ice on the road.
Jamie Summerfield
Hi Anne. Is Greenway Avenue listed on the gritting route? There’s a link in the article to a map on the county council website?