PLANS to keep East Sussex moving during the winter months are in place with the start of the annual winter service.
The highways team has been preparing since the summer to ensure the county’s roads will be kept clear of snow and ice once the cold weather arrives.
The winter gritting season runs from October 1 until the end of April and during this time the council’s gritter drivers are on standby 24 hours a day.
Over the winter months 21 gritters treat all A and B roads and some C roads, depending on the severity of the weather expected – a total of 42 per cent of roads across the county.
The vehicles and their drivers were put through their paces recently during Operation Snowdrop, the annual event which sees the gritters thoroughly checked and sent out on a trial run of the main gritting routes to test their readiness for wintery weather.
Around 10,000 tonnes of dry rock salt is available to the gritters from five depots across the county, ready for use when the road surface falls close to or below freezing or when snow is forecast.
24 local farmers and contractors are also on call with snow ploughs to assist during periods of heavy snow fall.
In addition, over the last few months 766 grit bins countywide have been inspected and filled for use on public roads and footpaths.
During the winter service period, the highways team receive at least three daily weather forecasts, and the latest weather forecasting technology is used to decide if roads need to be gritted.
Information about the daily gritting decision and the routes being treated is available on the East Sussex Highways website and through social media.
Cllr Claire Dowling, lead member for transport and environment, said: “Our highways team are geared up to keep the county’s roads clear of snow and ice this winter, with over 700 miles of our road network treated on a primary route gritting run.
“A lot of hard work and careful planning goes into our winter service to ensure our highways team is ready to act to keep motorists moving even during spells of cold weather.”
Residents are also asked to begin to think about preparing for winter.
Cllr Dowling continues: “Although we are yet to see any really cold weather this year, I would encourage people to check their vehicles are safe and ready for winter as soon as possible.
“Be prepared for any emergency situations by keeping winter essentials in your car such as de-icer, a blanket, a shovel and a fully charged mobile phone.
“When we do have bad weather, please check the weather forecast before travelling and take extra care on the roads in wintry conditions.”
Information on the East Sussex Highways winter service is available at https://live.eastsussexhighways.com/services/services-winter-service
Any problems on the roads can be reported online at https://live.eastsussexhighways.com/report-problem or by contacting the Highways Contact Centre on 0345 60 80 193.
For school closure information visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk/education-learning/schools/school-closures and for details about disruption to other council services visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk/news/