2024/25 Winter Service Plan for Sutherland

The plan for winter maintenance on prioritised roads and paths in the Sutherland area has been agreed by local councillors.

The area’s Winter Service Plan includes a categorised list of priority roads and gritting routes to help the Council to deliver a quality winter roads service across the area with the resources available.

Cllr Richard Gale, Sutherland Chair said: “The Council’s Road teams work really hard during challenging weather conditions to keep our roads as safe as possible. We do have a large roads network in the Sutherland area and so preparation is essential to make sure that our priority roads and paths are consistently treated. Our area has an average usage of 9,000 tonnes of salt each year which is a figure that helps to highlight the scale of the challenge the roads teams face every winter.”

The plan explains that primary routes are treated first, followed by secondary routes and then all ‘other’ routes as resources permit. Across Sutherland there are 534km of Primary routes, 248km of secondary routes, and 554km of other routes.

He continued: “Communities may not also be aware that the Council provides them with gritting materials such as salt/grit, bins, scrapers and reflective waistcoats. This does not replace the Council’s service, but it will enhance the coverage of our areas where people wish to salt their street for themselves and more vulnerable neighbours.”

Applications for the Winter Resilience scheme can be made on the Council’s website and helpful videos on using grit bins can be found on the Council’s YouTube channel.

National guidance supporting the public to be prepared for emergencies and extreme weather is available at www.ready.scot.