Council teams all set for the winter freeze and no slip-ups this time
The Council roads team with Cllrs Jonathan McColl and Marie McNair preparing for winter in West Dunbartonshire.
More than 4100 tonnes of rock salt is available to help keep traffic moving on West Dunbartonshire’s roads this winter.
The Council will be hoping there are no slip ups of the kind we have come to expect from them in the past.
And that no one will be injured and end up in hospital after from falling on an icy pavement or bumping their car on a snow-packed road that has not been gritted.
They will also be hoping for no controversies over the money their senior staff receive for keeping an eye on the thermometer.
And looking out the window to judge whether the weather is bad enough for their gritters to be deployed.
A Council spokesperson said staff are already working behind the scenes to ensure our highways and pathways remain safe during freezing conditions.
The Roads team’s fleet of nine gritters will regularly treat every primary route, and secondary routes during longer periods of adverse weather.
They have been on 24-hour standby since October 22, reacting when temperatures dip below freezing or if there is a risk of ice.
When severe weather conditions are forecast, the Council grits over 60 per cent of West Dunbartonshire’s public road network.
The Greenspace team work to ensure footpaths near schools, care homes, hospitals and other priority routes are kept clear.
West Dunbartonshire has more than 450 roadside grit bins across the area, meaning that generally no home is more than 300 metres from a supply should it become necessary.
This level of provision is one of the highest per heads of population in Scotland.
Shovelling salt for the roads – Cllrs Marie MvNair and Jonathan McColl.
Both Councillor Marie McNair, and Council Leader Jonathan McColl visited the depot at Elm Road earlier this week.
Councillor Iain McLaren, Convener of Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “As we saw last year, the weather can turn [bad] very quickly, so I hope residents are reassured to hear of the planning and preparation that has gone into dealing with it.
“The grit stocks have been replenished, the bins in our communities have been filled up and the staff and equipment are ready to deal with another harsh winter.”
Scenes from past winters in Dumbarton.
Councillor McNair, Vice Convener of Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development, added: “We know there may be some disruptions due to ice and snow but people can be assured that we’ll be doing all we can to ensure we keep West Dunbartonshire moving whatever the weather.
“Residents have told us they are willing to help with gritting areas in their community, and the increase in number of the salt bins should help with this. I’d encourage them to think of neighbours who might need assistance when the colder weather hits.”
Residents can obtain small quantities of rock salt for private use from the Council’s Road Depots located at Elm Road, Dumbarton, or Stanford Street, Clydebank.
- A map detailing gritting routes and locations of grit bins is available on the Council website.
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