Gritters have been on duty throughout the festive period, working night and day to treat roads to remove ice and snow from our roads.
And with the cold weather expected to continue for most of this week, Bedford Borough Council officers will continue this work until road surface temperatures increase, and the threat of snow and ice has receded.
Rock salt works by lowering the freezing point of water, which prevents the formation of ice or causes existing ice to melt. However, for this process to work effectively it requires the following
- Time: Melting ice is a process that requires time. It does not happen instantly, especially with thick ice or very low temperatures
- Traffic (or other physical agitation): Salt spread on roads need vehicle movements to help crush the salt, mix the salt and salty water, and spread the solution across the surface which speeds up the melting process. Without that, melting can take a long time
- Presence of moisture: Salt needs a small amount of liquid water to dissolve and from a brine solution. Without moisture, the solid salt crystals cannot disrupt the water molecule’s ability to form ice crystals
- Temperatures above a certain threshold: On colder road surface temperatures, the salt becomes less effective, and salt cannot lower the freezing point enough to remain a liquid rendering it ineffective
- Correct application: Applying the correct amount of salt is crucial - too much salt can be as ineffective as too little, while also causing environmental damage. Pre-treating surfaces before snow or ice forms is often the most effective method as it prevents a strong bond from forming between the ice and surface.
Councillor Nicky Gribble, Portfolio Holder for Environment said; “While most of us have been spending time with families and enjoying Christmas and New Year, our gritting teams have been hard at work ensuring we can get from A to B safely. They’ll continue to do that work until the weather improves enough for them to stand down.
“There will be times when the rock salt used to de-ice the roads will be less effective due to the extremely low road surface temperatures, and drivers are advised to take care especially in the early morning hours.”