Winter road maintenance

Latest gritting information

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Past gritting information

Twitter - Warwickshire gritting information

We grit 46% of our 3820 kilometre (2368 mile) highway network. All roads cannot be treated due to budget, gritting vehicle size and mobilisation time.

When the formation of ice is predicted, it is our policy to grit:

All main traffic routes, A roads, most B roads and one or other two other strategic routes.
In urban areas the accesses to hospitals and main industrial estates.
A single route into all villages.

Schools

Schools are only gritted if they are already on the agreed gritting routes.

Adding new roads

To have a road added to the gritting route and application should be made in writing to the area office and it will have to show some connectivity to the existing route.

Please be aware that extreme care should be taken even when roads have been gritted as even this will not ensure that they are entirely free of ice.

Never assume a road has been gritted.

Primary gritting routes

Primary gritting routes in Warwickshire - 2011/2012 (pdf, 5.7mb)

Primary gritting routes by Borough and District

Snowfall

In the event of snowfall, the roads receiving gritting will be cleared as soon as resources allow. Resources will be targeted where snowfall is heaviest. Strategic link routes will be made accessible across the network first. Footways and cycleways will also be cleared where there is a considerable usage. When snow falls are heavy at least one route into villages will be cleared.

We are also working with the National Farmers Union to increase the reserve of local snow clearing contractors that we use to assist with snow clearance during periods of severe weather.

Footways and cycleways

Footways and cycleways subject to the highest usage will be gritted during daylight hours (subject to the availability of resources), during periods of persistent wide spread ice (rather than frost) for more than 18 hours in a 24 hour period and temperatures not forecast to rise above zero for 18 hours.

Grit Bins

We are responsible for ensuring that roads are gritted, but we do not provide grit bins.

Rural Areas

Parish Councils can provide grit bins in locations which have been agreed with us as highway authority and we will replenish these as and when resources are available after the primary routes have been gritted.

Urban Areas

Similarly in urban areas Residents Associations and Town Councils have provided grit bins which we will replenish.

Private Purchase

Members of the public can purchase grit bins but must get permission from us as highway authority for their location.

Replenishment

The location of bins is strictly controlled and they tend to be authorised on estate roads, mainly cul-de-sacs, where drivers have no other way of exiting the road, which are away from precautionary gritted routes and have a steep incline.

Snow wardens

Snow Wardens act as the eyes and ears for the County Council and, in the rural area, are based in parishes. Their role is to notify the Council of any particular problems in their area; they are not expected to clear snow themselves. In response to a question raised the County Council are happy for householders to clear footpaths outside their house. No-one has been prosecuted for doing this.

Potholes

The daily freeze-thaw effect loosens weakened road surfaces, which when driven over result in potholes. Please report any potholes which could pose a safety hazard to cyclists, motorcyclists and car users.

Contact Us

Email: countyhighways@warwickshire.gov.uk

Phone: 01926 412515

Monday - Friday: 8 am to 8 pm
Saturday: 9 am to 4 pm

Out of hours emergencies only - contact Police 01926 415000

Warwickshire Direct