Winter maintenance plan confirmed for Badenoch and Strathspey
The priorities with which The Highland Council will grit roads within the Badenoch and Strathspey area this winter have been approved by the Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee held in Grantown on Spey today (Tuesday 5 September 2017).
Members have approved a winter maintenance plan for Badenoch and Strathspey Area, which includes priority road lists and maps showing the priority gritting routes.
The Committee discussed the priorities of gritting a network of 99km primary routes (25%), 76km secondary routes (20%) and 215km other routes (55%) in the Badenoch and Strathspey area.
Primary routes are treated first, followed by secondary routes and crews will only move on to treat other roads when the primary and secondary routes are all completed.
The routes have been set within the context of the Council’s current Winter Maintenance Policy which is in place to ensure a consistent level of service is applied across all areas of the Highlands. Each year local areas put in place their Winter Maintenance Plan to cover the operational details in order to deliver a service locally within existing budget and resources.
Chair of the Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee, Cllr Bill Lobban said: “There is always a balance to be struck in the gritting priorities for our roads based on the amount of resources available and the need to reduce risk to vehicles and pedestrians. All roads in Badenoch and Strathspey are over 150 metres above sea level which obviously makes us more vulnerable to ice and frost on higher routes. Throughout winter we will monitor the agreed plan to make sure we cover any changes in weather using our existing resources to best effect.”
Badenoch and Strathspey Area employs 11 staff delivering winter maintenance supported by Amenity, Streets and Waste Staff. Five gritters and 4 footpath tractors are deployed to spread on average 5,500 tonnes of salt each year in Badenoch and Strathspey Area.
Details of the Badenoch and Strathspey Area priority routes and winter services information can be viewed by visiting the council’s website at: http://www.highland.gov.uk/gritting.