It’s the team which keeps Hartlepool moving over the winter.
Hartlepool Borough Council’s Winter Service team is responsible for gritting 122 miles of road and is on standby 24/7 from mid-October until April.
Councillor Karen Oliver, Chair of the Council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee, said: “It’s not always apparent that a road has been gritted and it is easy to take the service for granted because a lot of work is carried out whilst most of us are in bed.
“I would like to thank team members for their commitment and dedication, especially when you consider that the long, unsociable hours they work keeping Hartlepool’s roads as clear as possible are in addition to their “day jobs” with the Council.”
She also called on motorists to support the Council by taking care and always driving in a manner appropriate to prevailing road conditions.
“Drivers should be mindful that stopping distances can increase and loss of control is more likely in winter weather,” she added.
The treatment of roads begins with a decision taken by a duty supervisor based on supplied weather forecast information and ice prediction data received via a network of roadside sensors.
There are three types of treatment:
- Pre-treatment, or precautionary salting, to prevent ice from forming - the first stage and most frequent response.
- Post-treatment salting - the second stage response to melt already formed ice and snow.
- Removal of snow more than 30mm deep – the third stage response implemented only in exceptional conditions.
The Winter Service team operates five HGV gritters and is also responsible for filling 174 grit bins in residential areas and locations where adverse weather can cause problems.
The Council stresses that it is neither reasonable nor practical to treat all of the borough’s roads given the scale of resources and the number of staff and vehicles that would be required.
And it adds that even when roads have been treated, it isn’t always possible to ensure they remain completely free of ice and snow.
The Winter Service is reviewed periodically against set criteria, and the Council’s current plan can be viewed at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/gritting