Staff are being urged to stay safe on the roads this winter as the colder weather starts to arrive.
Our Roads Team has been out across North Ayrshire with its snowploughs before there has been any snow.
An annual dry run has been carried out by North Ayrshire Council to ensure its fleet of snow clearing and gritting vehicles is ready to hit the road before the wintry weather arrives. The test run allows staff to carry out essential advanced checks on equipment and vehicles, and also familiarise themselves with gritting routes.
Councillor Scott Davidson, Cabinet member for Place, said: “We have 7000 tonnes of road salt our storage depot in Kilwinning, and around 2500 tonnes at the depot at Brodick, in Arran.
“We are making sure our hard-working staff are preparing for winter, and drivers across the region can be assured that priority roads and footpaths will be treated and kept as safe as possible throughout the winter months ahead.”
A squad of 35 drivers and 15 multi-purpose vehicles will be available 24/7 to keep the area’s priority routes in use throughout winter. These round-the-clock measures will be in place from late October right through to mid-April.
Visit the Roads and Travel webpage for more information including updates on gritting routes, bin locations and road camera images.
Amey is responsible for any issues on the trunk roads in North Ayrshire (A78, A737 and A738).
Amey can be contacted by calling 0800 042 0188 or emailing: OCCR-southwest@amey.co.uk
Staff will also be on-call over weekends and public holidays from November to February to help treat main footways in the event of ice and frost. Arrangements are also in place with local contractors and farmers to call upon their assistance in case of severe weather conditions.
Salt is also stored at strategic points throughout the area for use by residents. There are around 500 grit bins and 15 larger community bins that people can collect salt from for personal use on roads, driveways or footpaths.
Weather stations on the A760 at Catburn, between Largs and Kilbirnie, and the String Road on Arran are fitted with cameras, which will assist Winter Controllers and Supervisors in monitoring weather conditions.
Weather forecasts are relayed three times a day – morning, noon and night – to the roads team who use the information to determine whether or not a snow or ice alert is issued.
A specialist detailed roads weather forecast is provided in collaboration with 12 other local authorities across the southwest of Scotland. Drivers are advised to plan ahead and check forecasts before starting a journey.
What staff can do to be prepared this winter:
- Ensure your vehicle is well prepared – have it fully serviced. Get your battery checked before winter starts and carry out your own regular checks on the brakes, tyres, lights and make sure fluids are kept topped up.
- Plan your journeys in advance – check local/national weather forecasts and make sure the condition of your route is safe to travel on – and sign up to Met Office warnings.
- Make sure all snow is cleared from your car before driving – don’t drive with snow on the vehicle roof or windows. Also, de-mist your car properly before setting off.
- Keep an emergency kit in your car at all times. In the event you are stranded due to a snowstorm or flood, handy items include a mobile phone and charger, shovel, wellington boots, gloves, de-icing equipment, torch, blankets and tow rope.
To keep up to date, search ‘Winter Gritting’ on our website and follow North Ayrshire Council (@North_Ayrshire) on Twitter for regular updates.
Councillor Scott Davidson, Cabinet member for Place, said: “We have 7000 tonnes of road salt our storage depot in Kilwinning, and around 2500 tonnes at the depot at Brodick, in Arran.“We are making sure our hard-working staff are preparing for winter, and drivers across the region can be assured that priority roads and footpaths will be treated and kept as safe as possible throughout the winter months ahead.”