Gritters have a busy weekend and cold snap to continue

The cold snap over the weekend has meant a busy few days for Nottinghamshire County Council’s gritting crews.

And with the chilly weather set to last until Friday, according to forecasters, the teams will be on alert all week.

The 23 gritting teams began the weekend with a run of all main routes between 6.30pm and 10pm, followed by a run on all snow routes.

The crews were out again on Saturday night, completing all routes by 10.30pm, and were out twice on Sunday night, completing a first run of all routes between 6.15pm and 10.20pm, followed by a second from midnight to 3.23am.

Gritting teams will be out again tonight and are due to take to the roads from 6pm, with temperatures again set to fall well below freezing, with a widespread hoar frost setting in overnight and lasting well into tomorrow morning.

Teams have also completed filling the majority of the yellow roadside grit bins which are positioned at crucial spots across the county and residents are again being reminded that grit from these bins is strictly for use on nearby roads and pavements and not for use on private driveways.

Yellow bins are provided and maintained by the county council where a nearby road is very exposed and severely affected by winter weather, where there is a hazardous junction or where there are lots of pedestrians, especially older, very young or disabled people.

In previous years there have been instances where people have taken away the grit for use on their own property; put it in the boot of their cars to take elsewhere; or even made a profit by unlawfully selling it on.

“The grit provided in yellow bins is strictly for use on public roads and pavements and is there to help the public help the County Council to keep roads and footways safe,” said Coun Kevin Greaves, chairman of the council’s transport and highways committee.

“Taking it for use on drives or, possibly, to sell for profit is a very selfish and dangerous act, which puts the safety of all road users at risk and could even cost someone’s life.

“Bags of rock salt, for use on people’s private property, are available at all good builder’s merchants and DIY stores.”

In addition to the yellow bins, residents and town and parish councils can buy a blue bin from the County Council if they so wish – coloured blue to differentiate them from the Council’s own yellow bins – and these can be delivered, filled with salt, ready for use.

Once delivered, however, local residents become responsible for making sure that the blue bin is kept full of salt and for spreading any salt on the road in severe weather.