Road clearing and treatment priorities agreed for this winter in Badenoch and Strathspey
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A winter maintenance plan for Badenoch and Strathspey this coming winter has been approved by local Highland councillors.
Members of the local authority's area committee meeting at Grantown's Townhouse yesterday agreed to the priorities.
Committee chairman Councillor Bill Lobban said: “We are all aware that winter in Badenoch and Strathspey can be particularly unforgiving, therefore, it is important we put plans in place early to ensure the gritting policy, winter maintenance team and the equipment and supplies required are in place and ready to be implemented when the winter weather arrives.
“Highland Council has an approved list of priority routes for treatment and would encourage the public to familiarise themselves with the gritting maps for the area specific to them.”
He continued: “It isn’t possible to treat every road and path, however, the dedicated team in Badenoch and Strathspey works extremely hard to best meet the needs of the area.
“We continue to encourage ‘community self-help’, under the council’s winter resilience scheme where communities can submit applications via their community council to carry out footway gritting operations.”
The council will continue to provide the community with salt and grit, bins, scrapers and reflective waistcoats.
Officials said it was important to note that this does not replace the service provided by the council but allows the community to provide 'an enhanced level of service'.
The plan explains that primary routes are treated first, followed by secondary routes and then all ‘other’ routes as resources permit.
Councillors noted the priorities, timings and resources available for gritting the strath's network of primary routes 99 kilometres (25 per cent); secondary routes 76 kilometres (20 per cent) and other routes 215 kilometres (55 per cent).
A council spokeswoman said: "The council’s winter service policy is in place to ensure a consistent level of service between areas and to ensure, as far as possible, the safety of drivers and pedestrians.
"However, the operation of that policy does not, and cannot, ensure that every road and footway will be free of ice or snow at all times."
She added: "Due to the introduction of additional driver’s hours regulations, the council is currently considering the impact on staff levels required to maintain services.
"If amendments are required to accommodate these then a future report will be taken to committee."
Across Badenoch and Strathspey there are five front-line gritters available and four footpath tractors. There are a limited number of spare gritters available across Highland.
The average annual usage of salt for the strath is approximately 5,500 tonnes.
The council has said there is sufficient salt in stock or on order spread across depot locations to treat the region's roads.
Road treatments:
• Primary (highest priority) – Treated from 6am to 9pm Monday to Saturday, generally covering all the A class roads and some B class and including main commuter routes in the larger urban areas.
• Secondary - Treated mostly after the primary network has been completed between 6am and 6pm Monday to Saturday and covering roads which in general connect smaller communities to the primary network. On bus routes, gritting will not necessarily be completed before buses start their journeys.
• Other - These are minor rural and local access and residential roads. The council will treat these roads as resources become available.
Applications for the council's winter resilience scheme can be made here
