Gritting

Winter Service Policy

Wherever possible, in the interest of economy and efficiency, precautionary salting will be undertaken after consideration of both forecast and actual weather conditions.

The winter service system is divided into seven basic categories:

Please note that winter gritting routes can be found on Sefton Maps.

Carriageway Gritting

Carriageway gritting routes are based on the criteria as approved by Technical Services Cabinet Member on 7th April 2004. They are based on, but are not exclusive to, the following LAA Code of Practice for Maintenance Management carriageway hierarchy:

(a) Category 2 (Strategic Routes)*

(b) Category 3a (Main Distributor)

(d) Advisory HGV routes

(e) Access roads to hospitals

(f) Major bus routes as supplied by Merseytravel

*The definition of Category 2 (Strategic Routes) includes Trunk Roads, however the only Trunk Road within Sefton (A5036 Princess Way / Church Road / Dunnings Bridge Road / Switch Island and their associated structures) is maintained by the Highways Agency and does not form part of the gritting route network.

Category 1 (Motorways) does not form any part of the highway network and is therefore not included in the gritting route network.

The routes have been designed and optimised to maximise efficiency. See the alphabetical list of carriageways included within the gritting routes. (pdf 41kb)

In situations where Central Government impose reductions in salt supplies the Environmental and Technical Services Director will consider reverting to revised gritting routes. See the alphabetical list of carriageways included within the revised gritting routes. (pdf 31kb)

Footway Gritting

Footway gritting routes are based on the criteria as approved by Technical Services Cabinet Members on 7^th April 2004. They are based upon, but not wholly inclusive of, the following LAA code of practice for maintenance management footway hierarchy.

(a) Category 1a (Prestige Walking Zone)

(b) Category 1 (Primary Walking Route)

See the alphabetical list of footways included within the gritting routes. (pdf 12kb)

Cycleway Gritting

Under normal circumstances Sefton will not specifically grit cycleways. They will only be gritted where they form part of the approved carriageway and footway gritting routes.

Grit Bin Locations

Grit bins are provided, distributed and maintained on the highway at key locations. They are for use by authorised persons as an additional aid to provide the highway user safe passage through the borough. Locations of grit bins will be determined by the Technical Services Director and will be based on the following criteria as funding allows:

Bridges with made footways over railways and canals
Footways on steep inclines
Footways on sharp bends

Grit bins will not be provided at the following locations (except in exceptional circumstances to be determined by the Technical Services Director)

Footways that are included on the footway gritting routes.
Areas where no footway exists

See a map of grit bin locations around the Borough. (pdf 340kb)

Footway Snow Clearance Locations

When accumulations of lying snow on the footway are deemed to be sufficiently excessive as to cause a potential obstruction to the free passage of the highway user, available resources will be co-ordinated with the Environmental Protection Department and targeted at priority locations. See the list of priority clearance locations. (pdf 117kb)

Carriageway Snow Clearance

When accumulations of lying snow on the carriageway are deemed to sufficiently excessive as to cause a potential obstruction to the free passage of the highway user, snow ploughing will be undertaken in addition to the gritting operation but only at locations where it is safe to do so. This is likely to be locations such as dual carriageways where lying snow could safely be ploughed onto a central reservation. Where the operation is possible, resources will be targeted in order of the hierarchy as identified in Section 2.1. No ploughing will be undertaken at any location that does not form part of the gritting routes.

Non Treatable Areas

All locations and routes within the borough not previously identified in this document do not form part of the winter service and are therefore deemed non-treatable areas.

Frequently asked questions

When to grit?

Sefton Council are recipients of a specialised weather forecasting provided by MeteoGroup. The forecast, received on a daily basis, gives predictions of the possibility of freezing road temperatures, snow etc, and the time those conditions may occur.

In addition, throughout the winter season, an officer is on duty 24 hours a day to monitor road surface temperatures. This enables decisions to be made if, or when gritting is necessary. The aim is to treat carriageway routes once forecasted freezing temperatures have been confirmed and footway routes when weather conditions dictate.

Grit Bin Provision

Requests for the provision of a grit bin are assessed and judged against the criteria. They are only provided if full justification can be shown. Please use the contact details above to make your request.

A request for the bin to be removed can be made. The agreement of other residents in the area would be needed before the facility is withdrawn. Please use the contact details above to make your request.

Carriageway Gritting Routes

At present, there are 8 carriageway gritting routes which treat 209 miles (35%) of the total carriageway network. These routes are gritted routinely when ice is forecast and actual conditions dictate.

Latest Audit Commission guidelines suggest that primary gritting routes should treat between 12% and 25% of the carriageway network. Sefton therefore comfortably exceeds these guidelines.

What can I do?

Responding to public concerns, the Government have published some common sense guidance on their website to help shopkeepers and residents who want to clear their paths without having to worry about falling foul of health and safety law.

Any Other Questions?

Please use the contact details above to ask any questions about Sefton's Winter Service Policy and Operational Plan.

Key Messages on Driving Safely in Winter Weather

Drivers are advised by the Highways Agency and the Department for Transport's Think road safety campaign to follow six key safe driving messages during the winter months.

These are:

The British winter is unpredictable. If you must drive during severe weather, make sure you are prepared for the conditions.
Check local and national weather forecasts. Listen to travel information on radio.
Take care around gritters and snowploughs. Don't be tempted to overtake snowploughs by squeezing into partially cleared lanes.
It can take ten times longer to stop in icy conditions. Allow extra room to slow down and stop.
Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin. Manoeuvre gently and avoid harsh braking and acceleration. If you start to skid, gently ease off the accelerator and try to avoid braking. If braking becomes necessary, brake very gently.
When driving in snow, make sure you're equipped with warm clothes, food, water, boots, a torch and spade.

Highway Authorities Statutory Duty

The Highways Act 1980 Sections 41 and 58 clearly state that the Highway Authorities have a statutory duty to maintain the highway and must at all times take reasonable care to ensure that the highway is not dangerous and that the standard of maintenance is appropriate for a highway of that character and used by such traffic. It must also ensure that a competent person must supervise maintenance work, having received proper training with regard to the highway.

The Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (section 111) has inserted an additional section (41(1)) to the Highways Act 1980 which places a duty on Highway Authorities in respect of winter conditions, as follows:-

'In particular, a Highway Authority is under a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway is not endangered by snow or ice'.

The effective date of this duty is 31^st October 2003.

In 2001, a joint group, comprising DETR, LGA, National Assembly for Wales, Northern Ireland Roads Service, SCOTS, The Highways Agency and the Audit Commission published a document entitled 'Delivering Best Value in Highway Maintenance'. This document included a section entitled 'Winter Service' which set out recommendations on how a Highway Authority could meet their legal obligations regarding winter service economically, efficiently and effectively.

Sefton Council Winter Service Policy and Operational Plan has been updated as a result of the foregoing.

Whilst it must be accepted that it is impossible on the grounds of both practicality and economy to prevent the formation of ice and snow on all of the borough's roads and footways, Sefton Council Highway Management will use its best endeavours to meet its statutory duty by minimising the detrimental effects of ice and snow on the highway user. In order to do this, winter service operations will be provided between the last Monday in October each year until week commencing the last Monday in March the following year.

Winter service will provide the following:

Precautionary salting to assist in the prevention of ice formation as weather conditions dictate
Post salting after the formation of ice and snow to assist in the thawing process as weather conditions dictate and in the appropriate circumstances as determined by competent officers
Snow removal where it has been determined that post salting would not have a desired effect on lying snow, and the amount of snow has been determined, by competent officers, to be causing an obstruction in contravention of Highways Act 1980 (section 150).
The provision, distribution and maintenance of grit bins.

All of the above will be provided on routes and at locations specified within the Sefton Council Winter Service Policy and Operational Plan.

Last Updated on 3/28/2013

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