As the season begins to change, a North East council is preparing to keep roads clear ahead of adverse weather.
Durham County Council is ready for winter, with dedicated teams, specialist equipment and thousands of tonnes of salt at hand to help people travel safely during the colder months.
This year, the council has invested more than £5.2 million in its winter maintenance service, ensuring teams have the resources, equipment and technology needed to respond quickly when severe weather is forecast.
From now until April, a team of 68 council employees and 44 contracted staff will work around the clock to monitor weather conditions and respond to frost, ice and snow in County Durham.
This includes gritter and snow plough drivers, snow blower operators, footpath gritter operators, weather forecasters, duty managers, highway inspectors and fleet mechanics.
Cllr Tim McGuinness, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for rural, farming and transport, said: “Winter maintenance is about much more than spreading salt. While many people see the gritters out on the roads, there is a much bigger operation working behind the scenes to monitor weather forecasts and decide what treatment is needed and when.
“Our priority gritting network covers the county’s busiest routes, from the Dales all the way to the coast. This includes major roads, public transport routes and roads used by emergency services.
“Keeping roads safe and accessible helps people get to work, children get to school, businesses stay open and ensure essential services continue to operate during severe weather.
“By treating roads before ice forms and responding quickly when conditions change, we’re helping to keep residents safe and the county moving.”
Residents can find more information about gritting routes, winter maintenance activities and advice on travelling during severe weather at www.durham.gov.uk/winterinfo
