What do you do to help make roads safer in the
winter?
Whenever ice, frost or snow is expected, we treat our main roads
with salt to help keep them safe. The Highways Agency looks after
motorways and trunk roads, and Medway Council looks after the roads
in Medway. Except in special cases, we do not treat minor roads and
lanes.
If you would like to know if your road is included, please look
at our
map of the salting routes or visit our
interactive map of salting routes (link opens
in a new window).
What do you treat the roads with?
We use small granules of crushed rock salt. This melts and helps
stop roads freezing over. Sometimes, when roads are very wet, the
salt does not stop ice or frost forming. In these circumstances, we
can put down more salt, more often. Even so, there still may be
some icy patches, especially on untreated roads. If snow is
expected, our winter service vehicles can put down up to four times
the usual amount of salt.
How do you know when the roads need to be salted?
The Meteorological Office sends us daily forecasts about the
weather in Kent. These tell us if road surfaces are likely to fall
below freezing during the next 24 hours. If this is likely, we aim
to spread salt before ice, frost or snow forms. Usually this is
planned beforehand, but sometimes the weather surprises us and then
we treat it as an emergency.
Who salts the roads and how long does it take?
We have more than 65 winter service vehicles on standby. It takes
us about two hours to put salt on the main roads. If there is an
emergency, we try to have these vehicles on the road in one hour.
Unfortunately, when it snows, we can get caught up in the same
traffic jams as everyone else and this can slow down our work.
Winter service vehicles are extremely powerful and will travel
up to 40 miles an hour while spreading salt across roads. When you
are driving, you should stay a safe distance from them and do not
try to overtake.
Which roads in the county are salted?
We put salt on all A and B class roads, busy commuter routes and
danger spots. We call these our 'primary salting routes'. This
means that we treat about a quarter of roads in Kent. If severe ice
is expected, or snow has fallen, we will put salt on other roads.
Our staff will use their knowledge of the local area to decide
which roads these are.
If you would like to know if your road is included, please
contact us on 08458 247 800.
Can I use the salt bins at the side of the road?
Yes, they are usually placed away from the main roads near danger
spots such as steep hills. They are there to help all road users,
including pedestrians. Please use the salt to treat ice and snow on
small areas of the road or pathways. It is not for use on private
drives or paths.
Do you put salt in other areas, such as schools, offices or car
parks?
No, we are not responsible for these sites. It is up to the people
who look after these sites to make them safer.
How well prepared are you to deal with winter weather?
From mid-October to mid-April, we are on standby to deal with the
effects of winter weather on Kent's roads. We regularly maintain
the winter service vehicles to make sure they are always ready to
use. We also have a continuous supply of salt, which is stored in
depots throughout the county.
What do you do when it snows?
When snow falls across Kent, we use all of our winter service
equipment and resources to deal with it. Our first priority is to
keep the main roads open to traffic and to make sure hospitals,
fire stations and other important facilities can be reached and
stay open. This goes on as long as snow keeps falling. When the
main roads are clear, we will work on other roads but it may not be
possible to clear every road. Some roads may have to be left to
thaw naturally.
What equipment do you have for clearing snow?
- Our winter service vehicles can all be quickly fitted with
snowploughs. This means that salting and ploughing can happen at
the same time.
- We have arrangements with around 240 farmers across the county
who can clear snow for us when needed.
- We have 12 snowblowers and can hire extra machinery if we need
to.You should never try to overtake snowploughs by squeezing into
partially cleared lanes.
How can I tell whether roads are icy or not?
This is difficult as conditions will be different across the
county. If there is a white frost on grass and cars, you may find
icy patches on the roads. Some areas are more likely to freeze than
others, for example, the Weald of Kent. We keep local radio
stations and TV networks up to date about road conditions and tell
them when we are planning to put salt on the main roads.
What can I do to make winter driving safer?
- Before winter arrives, make sure your vehicle is serviced and
properly maintained.
- You should:check tyres have the correct tread, are in good
condition and inflated correctly;
- check antifreeze in radiators;
- check batteries are in good condition and well charged;
- make sure the windscreen wipers and washers are working
properly; and
- make sure the windscreen-washer bottle is full and contains
screenwash.
Remember
- Frost, ice or snow on the road will reduce the grip of tyres.
This makes you more likely to skid. So, slow down, drive carefully,
brake gently and in plenty of time.
- Carry an emergency pack, including an ice scraper and de-icer,
a torch, warm clothes and a blanket, food and drink, boots, a
first-aid kit, battery jump leads and a spade (to dig your car out
of snow).
- Do not drive with steamy or frozen windows and mirrors. It is
dangerous to drive when you cannot see clearly.
- Carry spare bulbs and fuses, a warning triangle and a
shovel.
- Check that all lights are clean and working. Use headlights if
there is poor visibility.
- Leave bigger gaps between you and the vehicle in front.
- Watch the road and expect slippery patches.
- Keep a careful eye on other people using the road.
- Watch out for children playing and other pedestrians.
- If possible, avoid driving in wintry conditions.
- Above all - watch your speed.
If you would like to know more about our Winter policy, please
look at our
Winter
Service Policy document. |