North Ayrshire Council’s Roads team has been getting ready for winter – despite the chill not hitting just yet.
They were out across the region with snowploughs as part of the council’s annual dry run to ensure its fleet of snow clearing and gritting vehicles are ready for action when the wintry weather arrives.
The test run allows staff to carry out essential advanced checks on equipment and vehicles, and also familiarise themselves with gritting routes.
The council has 7,000 tonnes of road salt in its storage depot in Kilwinning, and around 2,500 tonnes at the Brodick depot.
Councillor Tony Gurney, Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy, said: “Every winter, our staff are well prepared for potential road gritting and snow clearance work.
“Our fleet of specialist gritting vehicles spread rock salt on the roads to stop dangerous ice forming, and ploughs will be on stand-by in case we see some heavy snowfall.
“The aim is to keep North Ayrshire’s roads clear and its drivers and residents safe in the wintry weather conditions we could experience in the coming months.”
He added; “I would like to thank the roads team for their hard work throughout the year, and especially now as they prepare us for winter.”
A squad of 35 drivers and 15 multi-purpose vehicles will be available 24/7 to keep the area’s priority routes in use throughout winter.
These round-the-clock measures will be in place from late October right through to mid-April. Staff will also be on call over weekends and public holidays from November to February to help treat main footways in the event of ice and frost.
Long-standing arrangements are also in place with local contractors to get their assistance during severe weather conditions.
Salt is also stored throughout the area for use by residents. There are around 550 grit bins and 15 larger community bins that people can collect salt from for personal use on roads, driveways or footpaths.
Visit winter gritting (north-ayrshire.gov.uk) for information about gritting routes, grit bin locations and road camera images.
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