Winter maintenance plan confirmed for Nairn

The priorities with which The Highland Council will grit roads within the Nairn area this winter have been approved by local Councillors at the Nairnshire Committee held earlier today (Thursday 21 September).

The winter maintenance plan for the Nairn area includes priority road lists and maps showing the priority gritting routes.

The Committee discussed the priorities of gritting a network of 66km primary routes, 98km secondary routes and 169km of other routes in the Nairn 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.

In the Nairn area 9 members of staff will be delivering winter maintenance supported by local Amenity, Streets and Wasteoperatives.Three front-line gritters and one footapath tractor will be available.

Chair of the Nairn-shire Committee, Cllr Tom Heggie said: “Across the Nairn area real time date is obtained from 3 sites on the local road network, as well as one on the trunk road. These sensors provide staff with key information on the surface temperature and road conditions and a rota system will be in place to ensure experienced staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

“Throughout the winter months we will monitor the agreed plan to make sure we provide the best possible service and use all the resources available most effectively.”

Details of the Nairn Area priority routes and winter services information can be viewed by visiting the council’s website at: http://www.highland.gov.uk/gritting.