Nwicker60
14-Dec-12, 09:49
Budget sufficient to cope with average winter
HIGHLAND Council’s Chairman of Transport, Environmental and Community Services Committee has given assurance that despite the severe restraints on authority spending, the local authority has managed to maintain its winter gritting budget at previous levels.
Councillor Graham Phillips said: “Our £4.7million winter maintenance budget is sufficient to deal with an average winter. In the case of winter treatments the budget can only be an estimate and the actual spend will be dictated by the weather conditions. We will continue to deliver the council’s winter maintenance policy and if necessary the council will allocate additional funding, as it has in previous years, to ensure the service is maintained throughout the winter period.”
Councillor Phillips added: “Manpower levels and the number of snowplough and gritting vehicles have remained the same for several years and there are no plans to reduce the service. I would like to extend my appreciation the efforts of all our staff, who go out in all weathers and often dangerous conditions to keep the roads safe for the rest of us.”
The Highland Council is responsible for 4,200 miles (6,700km) of roads. The council's winter roads maintenance budget for 2012/13 is £4.7 million.
As at 11 December 2012, our salt stocks stand at 67,532 Tonnes. This exceeds the average amount used over the last 5 years and gives the council a resilience of 73 days for average frost or light snow conditions, or 20 days of extreme conditions requiring continual treatment. Arrangements are in place to re-stock during the winter if the rate of use is high.
On average 60,000 tonnes of salt per year are used on roads by The Highland Council.
The Council has a fleet of 116 road gritters; and 48 pavement gritters (these include Mercedes 4x4; Mercedes 6x6; Mercedes or DAF 6x2).
The Highland Council’s snow clearing / gritting route policies and area maps are online for 2012/13 at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting (http://www.highland.gov.uk/gritting.htm).
HIGHLAND Council’s Chairman of Transport, Environmental and Community Services Committee has given assurance that despite the severe restraints on authority spending, the local authority has managed to maintain its winter gritting budget at previous levels.
Councillor Graham Phillips said: “Our £4.7million winter maintenance budget is sufficient to deal with an average winter. In the case of winter treatments the budget can only be an estimate and the actual spend will be dictated by the weather conditions. We will continue to deliver the council’s winter maintenance policy and if necessary the council will allocate additional funding, as it has in previous years, to ensure the service is maintained throughout the winter period.”
Councillor Phillips added: “Manpower levels and the number of snowplough and gritting vehicles have remained the same for several years and there are no plans to reduce the service. I would like to extend my appreciation the efforts of all our staff, who go out in all weathers and often dangerous conditions to keep the roads safe for the rest of us.”
The Highland Council is responsible for 4,200 miles (6,700km) of roads. The council's winter roads maintenance budget for 2012/13 is £4.7 million.
As at 11 December 2012, our salt stocks stand at 67,532 Tonnes. This exceeds the average amount used over the last 5 years and gives the council a resilience of 73 days for average frost or light snow conditions, or 20 days of extreme conditions requiring continual treatment. Arrangements are in place to re-stock during the winter if the rate of use is high.
On average 60,000 tonnes of salt per year are used on roads by The Highland Council.
The Council has a fleet of 116 road gritters; and 48 pavement gritters (these include Mercedes 4x4; Mercedes 6x6; Mercedes or DAF 6x2).
The Highland Council’s snow clearing / gritting route policies and area maps are online for 2012/13 at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting (http://www.highland.gov.uk/gritting.htm).