WITH temperatures taking a dip, Carmarthenshire County Council’s gritters have been out for the first time this winter season.
Crews are ready 24-hours a day to respond to changing weather, and using the council’s fleet of 21 vehicles are able to treat over 1,000 kilometres of highway across Carmarthenshire within three hours of a bad weather warning.
This week, they were called into action from 1am on Tuesday morning and again late Tuesday evening as road temperatures dipped below freezing – especially on high routes.
The council spends around £1million on the winter maintenance of trunk and county roads every year.
With around 14,000 tonnes of salt in stock, highly trained drivers treat around a third of the 3,526 kilometres of roads in the county when necessary.
The first priority is given to trunk and principal routes, including roads leading to hospitals, ambulance stations, fire stations, railway stations, bus garages, important bus routes, strategic commuter routes, slip roads, and other important distributor routes.
In extreme conditions, secondary priority is given to important commuter routes, shopping streets, historically problematic sections that are not on the first priority routes, and other bus routes.
The council is also appointed by the South Wales Trunk Road Agent to treat trunk roads within Carmarthenshire.
Cllr Hazel Evans, executive board member for environment, said: “Although we don’t yet know what the winter will bring, residents can be reassured that we do all we can to keep our roads as safe as possible. Staff are ready to respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the year.”
More information about gritting can be found on the council’s website, www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales
