Devon's winter preparations underway

More than 4,000 grit bins across Devon are currently being inspected and re-filled by Devon County Council in preparation for winter.

Although the Autumn sunshine has dominated the recent weather, the County Council is gearing up for the coming season as it has now started its winter service operations.

The County Council spends between £4 million and £5 million a year on roads affected by winter weather – whether it is salting roads, clearing snow or responding to flooding issues.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highway Management and Flood Prevention, said: “Our highways teams are working their way around the county to replenish salt stocks in the county’s grit bins and salt bags. October sees the start of our winter service and despite enjoying the unseasonal dry, warm weather in recent weeks, we have had to start our preparations to ensure that we are ready for winter.”

In an average winter, around 14,000 tonnes of salt are used on Devon County Council’s roads, but in severe winters it can go up to almost 30,000 tonnes.

Devon County Council’s Highway Operations Control Centre (HOCC) is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to co-ordinate work on the highway network. It is equipped to monitor the effects of winter weather on Devon’s roads. The technology used by the HOCC includes a network of roadside ice detectors at strategic locations, which provide information on road surface temperatures and are used to help predict conditions. Radar and satellite images are also used to track rain and cloud cover across the county, and the County Council also has close links with specialised weather forecasters.

For more information and travel advice from Devon County Council visit: www.devon.gov.uk/winter_travel or for updates on Twitter follow @HughHOCC and @Devonroads