Argyll and Bute Council’s gritter drivers cover a total of 1,430 miles of roads during the cold winter months in order to keep motorists safe using both ploughs and salt spreaders.
The Council is responsible for in excess of 1400 miles of local roads in Argyll and Bute with BEAR Scotland maintaining the trunk roads on behalf of Transport Scotland.
When freezing conditions are forecast we deploy 31 gritters to pre-treat over 750 miles of road, over 50% of the entire network. This is the equivalent of driving from Lochgilphead to Paris and is designed to prevent the worst effects of ice and snow on the most used roads.
The council’s dedicated team of Winter Standby Managers and Supervisors work behind the scenes during these icy spells to keep a track of which roads need treated, with staff starting at 6am to keep our roads network moving.
Network and Standards Manager Hugh O’Neill said: “We use a sophisticated forecasting system to gauge which routes are prioritised. As well as our own monitoring stations, we consult with trained meteorologists who monitor actual conditions from satellite and locally-based weather stations. Pre-treatments are then based on area-specific forecasts.
“We have a huge roads network which means our drivers often have to work long hours to treat them - last winter alone we put down 13,059 tonnes of salt.
“The whole team is dedicated to ensuring the roads network is kept moving and the people of Argyll and Bute are kept safe whilst travelling.”
For more information visit: www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/gritting-routes