Winter gritting
How do you decide where to salt?
Salting priority is given to two types of roads / routes and based upon the recommendations contained in a National Code of Practice.
- Priority 1: These are the borough's major roads. Generally they are principal roads which form the backbone of the road network within the Borough.
- Priority 2: These roads, though less important, comprise of other heavily trafficked routes, bus routes and roads serving other key locations and important buildings e.g. hospitals, bus stations, commercial centres, etc.
We usually grit Priority 1 and Priority 2 at the same time.
You can see a map of our gritting routes courtesy of the very nice people at Mappa Mercia.
You can also download an alphabetical list of the roads we grit and plans of our gritting routes
Other roads and all footways within the borough are not treated other than in exceptional circumstances when severe conditions occur and then only when all priority routes have been fully and adequately treated and resources become available.
Gritting updates
Gritter Twitter
Want to find out if the gritters are on the road? Need updates on school closures and weather forecasts? Follow @sandwellcouncil on Twitter. During bad weather we'll be using the #wmgrit hashtag.
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on the Sandwell Facebook page to find out when our gritting crews are out and for information on how frosty or snowy weather is affecting Sandwell.
How do you decide when to salt?
During the winter a duty officer monitors existing road conditions and weather forecasts around the clock and is responsible for making the right decision at the right time to meet our objectives of treating priority 1 and 2 roads before the formation of ice or snow.
Road condition is monitored directly through networked sensors embedded in the road surface at strategic locations in our roads and in neighbouring boroughs so that the approach of icy conditions and the effect of salt treatment can be evaluated.
Through a contract/partnership arrangement with MeteoGroup we receive weather forecasts which are updated at key times throughout the day and night.
This information is combined with the existing road surface information using a computer based ice prediction package which helps the duty officer by predicting the conditions that will prevail at key locations in the borough.
Are pavements salted?
In very severe weather conditions, especially when snow or ice may remain for some days, consideration is given, in priority order, to the treatment of pedestrian routes starting with town centres, shopping frontages and other busy pedestrian areas.
Do you provide grit bins?
There are currently self-help yellow salt bins (commonly referred to as 'grit bins') located throughout the borough for public use. They are not normally sited on the routes covered by priority mechanical salting but are used to cover other locations that are potentially dangerous because of features such as gradient or busy road junctions.
Salt bins are restocked with salt when needed.
Requests for the provision of a salt bin are assessed against a criteria to determine the potential risk at each site and are only provided if full justification can be shown.
To request assessment for a self-help yellow salt bin please call us on 0845 359 7518 or email contact@sandwell.gov.uk.
Can a grit bin be removed?
Often salt bins become the focus of vandalism or the meeting place for youths. If this becomes an unbearable nuisance, a request for the bin to be removed can be made, but the agreement of other residents in the area would be needed before the facility is withdrawn.
Become a Snow Champion
Could you help your community by clearing snow and ice from pavements and paths this winter? If so become a Snow Champion.
Severe weather warnings and cold weather advice
- Find out if there are any severe weather warnings from the Met Office.
- Read advice from Directgov about clearing snow and ice from pavements.
Contact us about winter gritting
You can call us on 0845 359 7518 or email contact@sandwell.gov.uk.
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Snow Champions
