Wheels in motion as highways winter service hits the road

With Met Office weather warnings for snow and ice now in place for Greater Manchester, the team’s fleet of drivers are ready to go, with an on call 24/7 rota in operation, ready to see the borough through the colder months.

Around 4,500 tonnes of salt are stored and ready at the Princess Street depot, alongside gritters, snow ploughs and a snow blower, which was used for the first time last year and helps clear the road when the snow is too deep for the plough.

The team regularly monitor air and road temperature, through weather stations located across the borough, a computerised ice detection system and cameras. When temperatures are set to plummet, the team of drivers hit the road, anytime night or day, to keep the borough moving.

The gritters also use automatic gritting technology, which spreads exactly the right amount of grit required to help prevent ice from forming. This enables the drivers to focus on driving and ensures that no salt is wasted.

200 miles of road are gritted during each round of gritting

Around 200 miles of roads are salted during each round of gritting. There are 7 routes covering different parts of the borough and each gritting run takes around 4 hours to complete.

Councillor Shah Wazir, cabinet member for highways, said:

“The team has spent many months getting ready and now the winter service is launched and ready to see us through the colder months.

“The work of the winter team is so important. They are out and about night and day, often when most of us are asleep, clearing the roads, so we can keep the borough moving, whatever the weather. It means children can get to school, people can get out and about to wherever they need to be, and, even more importantly, ambulances and other emergency vehicles can stay on the road.”

During spells of bad weather, residents are being encouraged to park in a way that makes it easy for the gritter drivers to move along the roads and to always check on neighbours, particularly older people. It’s vital that people’s cars are safe and ready for winter and that motorists don’t forget to carry the basics, like de-icers and blankets. It’s also vital that drivers understand that gritting can only do so much and in periods of very bad weather, they should always stay off the roads if at all possible.

• Information on gritting, salt bin locations and much more

Residents can also get live daily updates on X (formerly known as Twitter) by searching for #RochdaleGrit

Tips for driving in extreme weather

1. Allow extra time for your journey.
2. Make sure you have enough fuel.
3. Check your battery is good.
4. Check your tyres are suitable.
5. Carry a shovel in your boot.
6. Carry a bit of rock salt (available from builder’s merchants).
7. Don’t over-rev the engine or your wheels will spin. You may need to set off in second gear in manual cars to avoid skidding.
8. Use as high a gear as possible to improve grip.
9. Build your speed up slowly on hills.
10. Always brake gently and in plenty of time.
11. Don’t block junctions or roundabouts.
12. Keep more distance than usual from the car in front. You may need 10 times the normal gap.
13. If you see a gritter, stay well back because salt or spray can be thrown across the road. Do not overtake unless it is safe to do so – there may be uncleared snow on the road ahead.
14. Give cyclists more space.
15. Keep a look out for pedestrians – particularly at zebra crossings, pelican crossings and outside schools.
16. Push broken down vehicles off the carriageway. Abandoned cars are one of the main obstacles which get in the way of snow ploughs.

Related content

• Councillor Shah Wazir
• News from across the borough of Rochdale
• Cold weather advice