4:10pm Thursday 24th January 2013
By Freya Leng
GRITTERS will be out salting key routes again this evening ahead of the freezing temperatures and frost forecast overnight.
Over the past week, Gloucestershire County Council’s gritting team has treated about 26,000 miles of road, using 3,500 tonnes of salt.
The team will keep an eye on the forecast but there is currently no further gritting planned for overnight.
Since the heavy snowfall on Friday, the team have been salting key routes and secondary routes including ploughing and spot salting areas.
The salt domes have been replenished with about 1,000 tonnes of salt (not including today’s delivery) and there is currently about 7,000 tonnes of salt left.
The council’s 33-strong gritting team has been working through the week, day and night, to keep the roads clear.
Though key roads through the county are now passable, Gloucestershire Highways advises that any other routes with steeper inclines may be hazardous for some time and should only be attempted with care.
Meanwhile, vulnerable residents are warned to take care when walking on pavements in rural areas.
John Kay, Area Highways Manager, said: “Although the worst of the weather has passed us here and the roads begin to return to normal, we will still treat key routes across the county.
“We always monitor local weather conditions and our advice to motorists, particularly in areas where there is lingering snow and ice, is to take care and proceed with caution.”
Follow @GlosHighways, @GlosCC, @GlosFire and @Glos_Police on Twitter for updates. Tips on driving in icy conditions and keeping you and your neighbours warm and well during the wintry period can be found at gloucestershire.gov.uk/winter.
Traffic information can also be found on the Highways Agency website highways.gov.uk/traffic-information.
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