OIC is getting ready for winter

With November upon us, Orkney Islands Council is getting its preparations in place for winter.

Darren Richardson, the OIC’s head of roads and environmental services, explained: “The council is ready for winter. We have enough salt to get us through the winter, along with a number of gritters ready to hit the roads when the time comes. It’s important that all residents take extra care when driving on icy roads and heed caution when they do see a gritter salting our ploughing the roads.”

Here are six facts about gritting season you may not know…

• Orkney has 283 filled salt bins located throughout the authority with 3,500 tonnes of salt in stock.
•  There are a total of 25 gritters that are available and ready for when the roads get frosty, 14 on the Mainland and 11 in the Isles.
• During the 2014/15 winter season, the gritters were called out 45 times to either patrol or treat icy roads and spread a total of 2800 tonnes of salt.
• There are nine crews on standby throughout the winter season to grit the roads – they operate between the hours of 6am to 6pm. Additional drivers can be called on if conditions are severe. Local contractors can also be called to assist with snow clearing.
• Gritters travel at 30mph when salting or ploughing the roads and are unable to stop for oncoming traffic.
• The council treats public roads and council-owned public car parks but businesses, GP surgeries, schools and community and leisure centres are responsible for treating their own car parks and footpaths. Roads are treated according to a priority system as detailed in the Winter Service Plan that can be found at www.orkney.gov.uk/Council/W/Winter-Service-Plan.htm. This Plan is revised and approved each spring.

To find out more about gritting and snow clearance, visit www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/G/Gritting-and-Snow-Clearance.htm

To see the local guide to winter roads, visit www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/A/Guide-to-Winter-Roads-in-Orkney.htm