This week may see a return to our roads for Warwickshire County Council’s fleet of gritters.
Yes, you read that correctly!
The culprit that has triggered Warwickshire’s fleet of gritters being on standby is not the white stuff but, in fact, the exact opposite.
Warwickshire’s gritters are poised ready to address the risks to carriageways posed by the predicted heatwave that is expected over the weekend and into next week.
Road surfaces are, as you would expect, very resilient, however, when their temperature exceeds 50 degrees centigrade, they will begin to melt causing damage. Well-used routes in Warwickshire can begin to suffer this fate when the air temperature reaches around 30 degrees centigrade, meaning the prolonged period of temperatures above this threshold will lead to challenges across the network.
In order to combat these temperatures and their effects on our highways, Warwickshire’s gritters are on standby to spread a light-dustings of stone dust to soak up excess tar and minimise chances of road surfaces melting by reflecting a larger amount of the sun’s rays.
This proactive work aims to help reduce the potential damage high temperatures can inflict on our roads and keep them safe, limiting disruptions to the network.
While road temperatures will be monitored closely by Warwickshire County Council over the coming days, residents are urged to play their part by reporting any issues on the website: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/reporthighwayproblem
Cllr Wallace Redford, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, said: “Our gritting fleet does a fantastic job keeping Warwickshire’s residents safe and the network running throughout the winter months.
“Many residents may be surprised to see them out at the height of summer, but their work at this time of year, preventing costly damage to the roads of Warwickshire is no less important than their cold-weather work and all contributes to ensuring our residents are supported through excellent transport infrastructure.”
Residents are also advised that if there is a requirement to spread stone dust across roads, this may look unusual, but is very much essential and official activity. All incidences of stone dust being used on roads will be accompanied by roadside signage making motorists aware.
More information about highways in Warwickshire and ways to report an issue can be found online: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/reporthighwayproblem