|
Road salting is carried out on main routes to prevent
frost and ice forming on the road surfaces. If you would like to
know if your road is included in our salting route, please look at
our
map of the salting routes or visit our
interactive
map of salting routes.
Making the roads safer in winter
From mid-October to mid-April, we have a team on standby to deal
with the effects of winter weather on Kent's roads. To help keep
the roads safe, we have a continuous supply of salt stored in
depots throughout Kent, ready to be used whenever ice, frost or
snow is expected.
We also keep local radio stations and TV networks informed about
road conditions and when we are planning to put salt on the main
roads.
Roads which are salted
We treat about a quarter of roads in Kent, our 'primary salting
routes':
- All A and B class roads
- Busy commuter routes
- Danger spots
If severe ice is expected, or snow has fallen, we will put salt
on other roads. Our staff will use knowledge of the local area to
decide which roads.
We are not responsible for schools, offices or car parks. It is
up to the people who look after these sites to make them safer.
Who salts the roads and how long it takes
We have more than 65 winter service vehicles on standby and if
there is an emergency, we try to have these vehicles on the road in
one hour. It takes us about two hours to put salt on the main
roads. Except in special cases, we do not treat minor roads and
lanes.
We are not responsible for all of the roads in Kent. The Highways
Agency looks after motorways and trunk roads, and Medway Council
looks after the roads in Medway.
When we salt the roads
Our weather forecast provider sends us daily forecasts about the
weather in Kent which tells us if the road surfaces are likely to
fall below freezing during the next 24 hours. Even on a cold day
the roads may have retained heat to prevent them from needing to be
salted. If it's likely that the road surfaces will drop below
freezing, we aim to spread the salt before ice, frost or snow
forms.
Occasionally, when the roads are very wet, the salt does not
stop ice or frost forming. In these circumstances, we will put down
more salt, more often. If snow is expected, our winter service
vehicles can put down up to four times the usual amount of
salt.
Salt bins at the side of the road
The salt bins 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.
If you would like to know more about our winter policy, please
look at our
Winter
Service Policy document. |