Council Prepared For Winter Weather

Torfaen council is prepared for winter with a stock of 5300 tonnes of salt, a fleet of nine gritters, and a standby work force ready to react to changing conditions 24 hours a day. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Weather forecasts are received twice a day from the Met Office and road temperatures are monitored from a series of weather stations across the borough, allowing the council to grit roads only when needed, and when it is most effective to do so. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All A and B roads, main bus routes, main distribution routes and routes in proximity to schools, industrial and retail areas are prioritised, with other areas gritted in severe weather as and when resources allow. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There are 710 salt bins located across the borough for residents to use on walkways and side roads in their local areas. The council is reminding residents to use the salt responsibly – a thin layer, spread evenly on ground that has been cleared of any snow is usually all that is needed to be effective, ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All salt bins have been checked and refilled ready for winter, and the salt in these bins is for use on public footways and roads only, it is not for use on private drives and footpaths. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor John Cunningham, executive member for neighbourhoods, said: “Fortunately we have had very mild winters for the last few years but long range weather forecasts suggest we are likely to have a drier and colder winder this year. Fortunately we are well prepared for whatever the weather may bring. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It is important for residents to realise that we cannot grit all roads in the borough as this would be an enormous and costly task. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We currently salt around 53 per cent of our highway network, and prioritise the main routes. Despite our best efforts it is not possible to keep roads completely free from ice and snow, and we would remind drivers to take extra care over the winter months, reduce their speed and increase the distance between cars in front.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Residents can use the council’s mapping system to check whether their road is on a gritting route, and to find their nearest grit bin ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To report an empty grit bin, or request a new one, visit here or call 01495 762200. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Please note that due to the available resources only a few new grit bins can be added each year and sites are prioritised on local need. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All updates on council services and school closures will be posted on the council’s Facebook page and on www.torfaen.gov.uk ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​