Click4Assistance UK Live Chat Software
Skip to main content

Winter gritting

Roads

Our gritters carry out salting, gritting and snow ploughing. Treatments are carried out in order of priority and are normally completed before 7am.

Gritting in your area

You can get up to date information on gritting in your area on twitter or by listening to your local radio station.

Twitter: search #cwacgrit for the latest gritting news

You can also use our map to see where we grit. On the map select 'Add data', 'Transports and streets', 'Winter gritting routes'.

Gritting routes

Priority

Priority one roads are treated as high priority, we aim to treat them within the first two hours, these include:

  • 'A' class carriageways, such as main roads
  • designated routes to emergency hospitals

Priority two roads are treated after, we aim to complete treating them, within four hours. These include:

  • 'B' roads
  • major roads carrying four service buses or more per hour between 6am and 10am
  • roads serving emergency services
  • public transport centres
  • secondary schools and colleges
  • roads with a slope over 10 per cent and carrying more than 1,000 vehicles per day
  • main access roads to rural communities and villages

Minor roads leading to houses or farms are not gritted unless we have agreed to because of special circumstances.

Other roads are not gritted when frost or icy conditions are forecast but are after they become icy when all the priority one and two roads have been treated. This is only done when the this is likely to last for 24 hours or more.

Myth busting

Here are some common myths about snow and gritting:

Salt bins

Salt bins are provided for members of the public to use during icy conditions. They are only provided in residential areas next to shopping areas, part way up hills with a slope over 10 per cent or where there are special circumstances.

You can ask us to top up any current salt bins in your area. Please use the form instead of calling the emergency line.

Request

Footpaths and cycleways

We don't grit footpaths and cycleways before they become icy. We grit them where there is snow or ice which is likely to last for over 24 hours and as soon as we have people available. Busy footpaths and ones with special circumstances are gritted first. These include footpaths in shopping areas, outside hospitals and around schools.