§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidelines exist for local authorities for the gritting of roads in the event of sub-zero temperatures. [23194]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonI have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Keith Vaz, dated 20 January 1998:
The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent question as to what guidelines exist for local authorities for the gritting of roads in the event of sub-zero temperatures.The Highways Agency are responsible for motorways and all-purpose trunk roads in England. For these roads, the Agency provides a winter maintenance service which assists the safe movement of traffic and keeps to a minimum delays and accidents caused by adverse weather conditions.An extensive network of sensors placed in the roads measure road temperatures, moisture and salt content, wind speeds and precipitation. These together with weather forecasting services assist Maintenance Agents to carry out preventative treatment before road conditions become hazardous. They do not use grit for this treatment but use rock salt or, in special cases, deicing chemicals.The Highways Agency's Maintenance Agents, including Local Authorities, undertake the operational maintenance of the winter maintenance service in accordance with guidelines set out in Volume 2 Part 3 of a document titled. The Trunk Road Maintenance 451W Manual. A copy of the document can be made available for inspection if you would like to contact Mike Garnham at this office on 0171 921 4220.For the roads for which Local Authorities are responsible, they define their own treatments. Many use the guidelines of the County Surveyors Society or adapt them to their own circumstances and needs. Most Local Authorities also publish their own winter maintenance plans which define roads to be treated, together with treatment times and priorities.