During wintry conditions the council operates a road gritting programme during the night to make the roads safe and free of ice for morning traffic.

Around a third of the city's road network is treated - some 283km - with priority given to major roads and bus routes. After heavy snowfall the gritting lorries are fitted with snowploughs and work around the clock to keep main roads clear.

Although we do our best to keep the main thoroughfares clear and ice-free, drivers should drive carefully and must not assume that all main roads are as safe to use as in normal conditions. In wintry conditions we advise drivers to check the latest local weather forecast before starting out, and when heavy snow is forecast to consider using public transport to avoid the risk of breakdowns and potential accidents which can hinder the work of the gritting lorries and cause congestion.

Pedestrians are also advised to take extra care as footways are not gritted. However, during periods of heavy snowfall, when conditions permit, snow is cleared from footways in the city centre shopping area, outlying shopping areas and other heavily used pavements. Salt bins for use by the public are sited at around 200 known trouble spots across the city such as steep roads and junctions.

The locations of grit bins and regularly treated roads are shown on this site and can be found by clicking on the above links. A copy their whereabouts can also be viewed at libraries or in the Customer Service Centre on King Street.

See Also:
Street Gritting List
Grit Bin Locations List
Queries
Contact Us