Where we grit
Gritting priority is given to all A and B classification roads and other strategic C and unclassified roads based upon the recommendations contained in a National Code of Practice. This equates to 38% of Bath & North East Somersets adopted highway network.
Treatment of locations not on the priority network would only be considered when conditions dictate i.e. prolonged periods of ice and snow and when all other priorities had been fully and adequately treated and resources become available.
Gritting Maps - Maps showing gritting routes can be views under the related information heading (right).
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Where others grit
A46, A36 - Trunked Roads
The Council is not responsible for these roads, outside the City of Bath limits:
- A36 Warminster Road
- A46 Gloucester Road
If you have any specific queries please contact the Highways Agency on 08457 50 40 30 or InterRoute on 01454 452300 streetworks@area2.interroutejv.co.uk. Alternatively visit www.highways.gov.uk
For operational reasons, we have an agreement with some of the neighbouring Councils to treat some of each other's road near the authorities boundary. Hence some roads will be treated by the neighbouring Council's contractors and some roads outside our boundary will be treated by our contractors.
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When to grit
The Council are recipients of a specialised winter weather forecasting service provided by the MeteoGroup. The forecast, received on a daily basis, gives predictions of the possibility of freezing road temperatures, snow etc, and the time those conditions may occur.
In addition the Council:
- Has a solar powered road weather station which measures air temperature, dew temperature, wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity and precipitation. The weather station also records road temperatures and if the road has been gritted.
- This data is fed into a thermal map of the priority road network.
- The Councils Winter Service Duty Officers use all of this information to decide whether or not to grit
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Do you provide grit bins?
Yes - There are currently over 400 grit bins throughout Bath and North East Somerset in known trouble spots which include:
- Areas not normally subject to mechanical treatment with hilly, exposed locations
- At potentially dangerous road junctions on streets with a steep gradient
- At streets with high vehicle usage and a significant gradient
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Requesting a grit bin
New requests for the provision of a grit bin are judged against an approved criteria which includes the above (do you provide grit bins). They are only provided if full justification can be shown. New grit bins installed will be black in colour at urban locations and yellow in rural locations.
>> report-it
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Refilling a grit bin
Grit bins are inspected at the start of winter and topped up with salt and some grit as necessary.
>> report-it
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Can a grit bin be removed?
Often grit bins become the focus of vandalism or the meeting place for youths. If this becomes an unbearable nuisance, a request for the bin to be removed can be made. The agreement of other residents in the area would be needed before the facility is withdrawn.
>> report-it
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Pavement gritting - are pedestrian routes treated?
In very severe weather conditions consideration is given to the treatment of pedestrian routes. These would be confined to more urban areas where there is high pedestrian usage and will only be considered if snow or ice remains for some days.
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