Grit stockpiled by Lancashire councils ready for winter

8:00pm Friday 4th November 2011 in Weather news Photograph of the Author By Jon Livesey, Reporter

BE PREPARED Duncan Reeve with rock salt supplies at Burnley’s Heasandford Council Depot BE PREPARED Duncan Reeve with rock salt supplies at Burnley’s Heasandford Council Depot

THIRTY thousand tonnes of grit has been stockpiled as highways chiefs prepare for another ‘big freeze’ this winter.

In an average year Lancashire County Council spends around £4million on its winter service and spreads around 18,000 tonnes of grit.

However, the cost last year rose to £5.5million, with the county council using around 20,000 tonnes of grit.

By setting aside a massive 30,000 tonnes this year, bosses hope they will be able to cope in the event of a similarly severe winter.

Blackburn with Darwen Council said it was also ‘fully prepared’ to deliver its winter maintenance programme.

Duncan Reeve, project realm manager in Burnley, said he hoped residents and businesses would shoulder some of the responsibility for keeping the roads safe.

Forty-nine gritting wagons are poised to take to the streets, with a 16-strong reserve fleet providing back-up.

And 32 farmers and agricultural contractors have agreed to help in the most remote locations.

Mr Reeve said he wanted people to use the grit in 1,800 bins across the county to make their roads safe, but he urged residents not to ‘misuse’ the provisions.

He said: “We will use however much is needed, but it’s all down to self-help and people helping their neighbours.

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"We are working with district and parish councils, emergency services and com-panies to promote the idea of self-help.”

“If the bad weather was to come next week we would be prepared.”

The grit is 97 per cent rock salt, with a molasses-type additive making up the remainder.

Comments(15)

burner says...
8:17pm Fri 4 Nov 11

Well that all sounds about right . . . . . . but I bet there is still chaos! No amount of grit can cope with a deluge of fresh snow.

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masher50 says...
8:24pm Fri 4 Nov 11

burner wrote:
Well that all sounds about right . . . . . . but I bet there is still chaos! No amount of grit can cope with a deluge of fresh snow.
Not degrading your comment, but what people don't realise is that salt and grit doesn't work below -4 degrees C anyway. Grit also needs the "churning" action of vehicle wheels running over it to prevent ice forming. So if it's below -4, and no vehicles on the road, ain't gonna work!

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burner says...
8:45pm Fri 4 Nov 11

You gave credence to my comment, masher. They will all be on here, howling, "Where's the gritters ? " when, as you rightly say, it doesn't work immediately in low temperatures or in a heavy fall. Still . . . . at least they seem to be stocked up, eh?

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masher50 says...
8:58pm Fri 4 Nov 11

burner wrote:
You gave credence to my comment, masher. They will all be on here, howling, "Where's the gritters ? " when, as you rightly say, it doesn't work immediately in low temperatures or in a heavy fall. Still . . . . at least they seem to be stocked up, eh?
"You gave credence to my comment"- thankfully some one who realises that! You've to be so careful on here at times, so many posters take things out of context!
Yes, they do seem to be stocking up, which is a step in the right direction. But after the debacle of the last two winters, I don't think "the powers that be" dare do anything else but be as ready as they can be!

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macattack63 says...
9:26pm Fri 4 Nov 11

maybe ramsgreave drive will see a few grains of grit then!

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Dickiepayshey says...
9:39pm Fri 4 Nov 11

Quoting burner .....
. . . but I bet there is still chaos! No amount of grit can cope with a deluge of fresh snow.

What's your solution to that then ?

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QuarryGang78 says...
10:01pm Fri 4 Nov 11

masher50 wrote:
burner wrote:
Well that all sounds about right . . . . . . but I bet there is still chaos! No amount of grit can cope with a deluge of fresh snow.
Not degrading your comment, but what people don't realise is that salt and grit doesn't work below -4 degrees C anyway. Grit also needs the "churning" action of vehicle wheels running over it to prevent ice forming. So if it's below -4, and no vehicles on the road, ain't gonna work!
Am not sure they have got enough infact i think they have slipped up here.

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s_smith says...
12:05am Sat 5 Nov 11

Dickiepayshey wrote:
Quoting burner .....
. . . but I bet there is still chaos! No amount of grit can cope with a deluge of fresh snow.

What's your solution to that then ?
Unfortunately there isnt one. The UK does not have cold enough winters to warrant mandating the use of snow chains.
.
Also, if we ever did mandate the use of such devices, we would not be able to grit any of the roads - so it is a case of putting up with the disruption to journeys.
.
It is a fact that you can throw as much salt as you like on snow and all it will do is form a brine layer on to which snow will simply mix in to. Can anyone remember the salted footpaths in town centre? It was like walking through sand and would have been better if no salt at all had been put down; either that, or cleared completely.
.
As burner says though, whatever the council does will not be enough for some people.

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burner says...
9:56am Sat 5 Nov 11

Dickiepayshey wrote:
Quoting burner .....
. . . but I bet there is still chaos! No amount of grit can cope with a deluge of fresh snow.

What's your solution to that then ?
s smith has answered for me - (ta) .There is nothing to do after a significant fall but grit your teeth!

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TheReality says...
10:07pm Sat 5 Nov 11

masher50 wrote:
burner wrote:
Well that all sounds about right . . . . . . but I bet there is still chaos! No amount of grit can cope with a deluge of fresh snow.
Not degrading your comment, but what people don't realise is that salt and grit doesn't work below -4 degrees C anyway. Grit also needs the "churning" action of vehicle wheels running over it to prevent ice forming. So if it's below -4, and no vehicles on the road, ain't gonna work!
Its actually approximately -9 C before its useless (getting progressively better the warmer it is) but the point is more that 'hilly' areas were left without grit in the tubs for 9 months last year while the useless council kept on spouting out the same old crap thinking everyone is thick.

Lets see what the excuse is this year!

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Seneca says...
6:42am Sun 6 Nov 11

Dickiepayshey wrote:
Quoting burner .....
. . . but I bet there is still chaos! No amount of grit can cope with a deluge of fresh snow.

What's your solution to that then ?
Put ploughs on all DLA funded cars! Every street could be done.

On a serious side, mandating the use of winter tyres would be of benefit.

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HelmshoreBoy says...
7:17pm Sun 6 Nov 11

It would be slightly better for pedestrians if home owners got out and did a bit of snow shovelling outside their houses. That way they could get a bit of exercise, burn a few of those lardy calories off, keep themselves warm and save on the heating bills.

To keep the town centres clear get the community service bums and these on the benefits out clearing the snow as well. Let them earn their money for once.

They used to do it in the bad old days when winters were proper winters with snow drifts up to the top of house and ice on the inside of your windows..

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Slimplynth says...
12:59pm Tue 8 Nov 11

I agree HSB, shovelling snow is therapeutic and good exercise.. instill some pride and show your fellow man that at least outside your own home you care enough about others to not let them slip and fall.. you can't teach good manners though.

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CapitaBackHander says...
5:48pm Tue 8 Nov 11

I am not sure how it could be policed but people shouldn't be allowed to drive their cars unless all weather or snow tyres are fitted! It would also help if people were educated into how to drive differently in the snow BUT seeing as we can't even force people to drive properly on the Motorway daily then there is no chance of this.
Every time it snows I have had to wait for some clown to acclerate and wheel spin as much as they can to try and get up a slight hill. Me? The SIMPLE answer is to put all weather tyres (Vredestein Quatrac 3) or even snow tyres on (Vredestein Extreme) and you will have a safe journey.
NOTE:- don't just put them on the front because your Front will stick while the rear will come around to join you!
Oh and if driving a flash Merc e.t.c. that is rear wheel drive then 100% don't try to leave the drive because your car is cr4p in the snow, at worst get proper tyres and forget about your low profile tyres!

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Viglen says...
11:36am Wed 9 Nov 11

When I was a kid everyone used to have open fires and throw the ashes and clinker onto the roads to disperse the snow. What a mess when it all melted away! There were a lot less cars then though and they were much lighter and therefore easier to push out of slippery situations. Why not just all stay at home and enjoy the chill, or if you must, get a PC and do some work at home. All together now.........Oh, the weather outside is frightful...but in here its so delightful..........
....!

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