Two new pieces of gritting machinery were unveiled by Aberdeen City Council yesterday, as the local authority continues preparations for winter.
The new gritter is larger than those in the existing fleet, and will allow the council to maintain certain trunk roads they cover on behalf of BEAR Scotland.
It has been joined by a multi-purpose utility vehicle which can grit roads in winter, as well as lift tarmac and remove tree stumps in summer.
Around 13,500 tonnes of salt have already been gathered, with deliveries arriving over the summer months, and the reserves will be topped up as necessary. Staff expect to spread around 300 tonnes of salt across the city on a snow day.
Mike Cheyne, general manager operations, said: “Unfortunately winter is always on our mind because as soon as one winter stops the vehicles need maintained, we need to look at new kit for the next winter, and the salt stocks are built up over a period of time. We’re quite fortunate that we are able to have our salt delivered over the summer time so it makes it easier than some other areas.”
The city’s team of gritters will work tirelessly over the coming months to make the roads as safe as possible for drivers. This means leaving their own homes in the early hours of the morning and travel on dark, icy roads in order to have the streets ready for rush hour.
“We do about 250 miles of road from about 4.45am,” said Mr Cheyne.
“It should finish at 6.45am. Obviously with traffic build up nowadays that’s taking a little bit longer because the roads are busier in the morning, but that’s about 50% of Aberdeen roads that we grit in that time.
“We’ve got five sensors around the city – Westhill, Jesmond, Tyrebagger, Bridge of Don, North Anderson Drive – so we look at those sensors and we take on board the information, what the temperature is, whether it’s rising or falling, and we’ve also got the Met Office that gives a forecast for overnight for two of our sensors for the city. We look at a lot of technology to give us the information we need.”
The council is also continuing its community salt initiative, which is now in its third year. It allows areas of a lower priority to receive one ton bags of salt from the council to use. Residents are then able to grit their own footpaths and access roads instead of waiting for the council.
Mr Cheyne added: “We had an uptake of about 42 last year but because the winter was really mild we didn’t get a real try out of it, so we’re offering the same situation this year to those communities and any other communities that want to take us up on it.”
For more details on community salt, visit www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/winter