Council considers winter roads maintenance review.
A number of enhancements to Highland Council’s winter roads maintenance service have been given the go ahead at the Council’s Transport, Environmental and Community (TEC) Services Committee.
Members agreed that the Council will:
Members also agreed to a reduction in the number of gritting priorities in the Council’s Winter Maintenance Policy from 4 to 3, and that a comprehensive review would be carried out of routes to identify the routes which should be re-classified as priority 1.
Councillor Graham Phillips, Chairman of the Council’s TEC Services Committee, commented on the review on winter maintenance services, he said: “This is a very welcome report to members, which has provided us with very helpful information. Consideration has been given to the drivers’ hour’s regulations; schools and sheltered housing; lifeline roads serving rural communities; Sunday gritting service; community self-help and resilience; spare vehicles; use of external contractors; and grit bins and gritting route priorities. We have much to do to be ready for next winter and we have to do our best in anticipation and be prepared as much as possible”
He added: “I particularly welcome the introduction of spare winter maintenance vehicles which will help safeguard the staff who work to keep our roads clear often in very dangerous conditions. These spare vehicles will help to plug the gaps while repairs are made to damaged or broken down vehicles.”
Leader of The Highland Councillor, Councillor Drew Hendry added: “We never really know what weather we are going to get, freezing frosts or mild and wet, but this is report is very useful to help plan for the future within our resources. Last year there was a slow start to the community self-resilience scheme and we need to ensure that this is progressed as early as possible. We must stress though that self-help is an option and not a replacement for council services, and one that communities that are rural and more distant from Council services are more likely to benefit from.”
A revised Winter Maintenance Policy taking into account the gritting priority changes agreed today will be presented to the TECS Committee in August for approval.