WILTSHIRE Council’s winter maintenance team says it is more prepared than ever to keep the roads running smoothly over the cold period.
“We have more than 13,000 tonnes of salt in stock strategically placed throughout the county in six storage sites,” reports the council. “We also have weather stations in key areas which provide real time information and assist in producing accurate forecasts to ensure our gritters are sent out at the right time.”
Bridget Wayman, cabinet member for highways said, “We have a dedicated team who work all hours necessary in very difficult conditions, and we are fully prepared for this coming winter. We can never predict how severe a winter will be, but the wealth of experience we have means we are in the best possible position should bad weather hit the county.”
It can take up to 140 tonnes of salt to grit Wiltshire’s A and B class roads and 230 tonnes to salt an extended list of roads during prolonged cold weather.
During severe weather local farmers also have an important role to play, with many clearing snow in their local areas when required.
During winter, people can have updates on both the weather and road conditions on Twitter by following @WiltshireWinter and @WiltshireRoads