As temperatures drop, Bedford Borough Council would like to reassure residents that its winter maintenance efforts are in full swing, with gritting crews actively spreading salt on roads to maintain safe and accessible travel conditions. With over 3,000 tonnes of salt stockpiled for winter the teams are fully prepared for any drop in temperatures.
Throughout the winter period, professionally qualified officers diligently gather information from weather stations across the Borough, utilise weather forecast updates, and employ satellite imagery software. This wealth of data helps predict road temperatures, snowfall expectations, and the timing of weather events, guiding the scheduling of gritting runs.
The Council uses 6mm crushed rock salt, spread onto the roads using purpose-built gritters. While the salt itself doesn't directly melt snow and ice, it creates a salty solution when the traffic mixes it in which reduces the accumulation of snow and ice on our roads.
Cllr Jim Weir, Portfolio Holder for Highways, expressed the importance of the gritting crews' work, stating, "Our gritting crews are ready to head out each day, until March, and their efforts are crucial in ensuring the safety of our roads and keeping traffic flowing during the winter months. On a single gritting run, our crews will cover over 480km of road."
Residents are encouraged to stay informed about gritting activities through the Gritter X (Twitter) account, @grittertweets, which provides daily updates on gritting runs and weather forecasts throughout the winter season. Additionally, the latest updates can be found at https://apps.bedford.gov.uk/winterupdates/ or with a live map of the gritters at https://www.bedford.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-travel/winter-roads/keeping-winter-roads-safe. This gritter tracker allows residents to follow the exact locations of the gritters during their runs.
Acknowledging the limitations of gritting every road, Matthew D’Archambaud, Chief Officer for Transport, Highways, and Engineering, emphasised, "We concentrate our efforts on areas where it will benefit the most people. Our priority is to keep main roads free of ice and snow at all times, ensuring a safe journey for those travelling across the Borough. We ask all residents to exercise extra caution during particularly cold conditions and to accelerate and brake more gently when driving."
To further assist residents, Bedford Borough Council provides salt bins (grit bins) strategically placed at bends or hills where the risk of slipping on ice is higher. These bins are not intended for use on private drives and paths and are there for the public to help keep the roads and pavements clear. Residents are encouraged to report any empty salt bins by contacting the Highways Helpdesk at highways.helpdesk@bedford.gov.uk.