Gritting team tackles winter conditions to keep residents safe

Thursday, 21 March 2024 09:40

By David Murphy

Bury Council’s winter maintenance teams have been working day and night to help keep the borough’s key roads moving over the winter months.

The first grit run was on 10 November 2023, and since then the service has been activated another 47 times with gritters travelling around 10,507 miles and spreading 1,063 tonnes of salt.

The service is on standby from the end of October until the start of April, ready to act whenever temperatures take a dip. Decisions to grit, or not grit, are based on the local forecast provided by Metdesk. There are 16 drivers and 4 decision makers on a rota throughout the season. There are also 2 reserve drivers available to be added to the rota if needed.

The gritting routes are serviced by a 4-vehicle team, and it takes up to 5 hours to complete the full gritting route, depending on traffic and weather conditions.

Councillor Alan Quinn, cabinet member for the environment, climate change and operations, said: “Our Winter Service team are always at the ready for any cold snap that comes their way.

“The dedicated team do a fantastic job keeping 290 roads and streets across the borough clear of ice and snow. They work right the way through the night when conditions demand it and play a key role in keeping essential services running when conditions are at their worst.”

For more information about the Winter Service, including where we grit and salt bin locations, visit www.bury.gov.uk/gritting

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something happening in our Borough?

Let us know by emailing newsdesk@rochvalleyradio.com

All contact will be treated in confidence.

More from Local News

Seven Sisters tenants reaction to the news they could soon be removed

Billy Jackson has called Rochdale’s Seven Sisters home for 40 years. But shock decision means 2025 will be his final year in the iconic tower blocks.
Festive magic arrives in Bury as North Pole Safari Trail transforms town centre

Free augmented reality trail, festive lights switch-on and family events launch Christmas celebrations in Bury
Replacement mosque plans approved despite concerns about parking

Plans to knock down and rebuild a mosque in Prestwich have been approved despite a 1,630 person petition opposing it.
Andy Burnham ‘taken aback’ by decision to move hundreds out of Seven Sisters towers

Andy Burnham was ‘taken aback’ by a decision to clear Rochdale’s iconic ‘Seven Sisters’ tower blocks, forcing hundreds from their homes.
Nine-bed HMO built ‘without permission’ discovered after neighbours complain

Council enforcement officers discovered a nine-bed HMO had been created without permission after a complaint from neighbours, councillors have heard.
Rochdale’s music legacy takes centre stage with iconic Cargo Studios reunion

Rochdale’s rich musical heritage was centre stage at a packed launch event marking the beginning of a new borough-wide celebration called ‘Rochdale Music Stories’, featuring big names like Peter Hook, Clint Boon and Andy McCluskey.
Naked man stops traffic on Rochdale Road in Bury in shocking mid-morning incident

A naked man caused disruption on a busy Bury road on Wednesday morning, swatting at cars and attempting to open vehicle doors before being detained and taken to hospital.
Seven Sisters tower blocks to be emptied over safety concerns

Residents of the iconic tower blocks that have dominated the skyline of Rochdale since the 1960s have been told they will be evicted due to safety concerns.
Culture Co-op secures £1 million to give Rochdale residents more say over arts and creativity

Rochdale’s Culture Co-op has been awarded £1 million to put local people at the heart of cultural decision-making, as part of a £42 million national programme run by Arts Council England.
Hollin pupils turn happiness into poetry during magical session in Middleton

Middleton Library plays host to spellbinding session with Rochdale’s poet laureate Sammy Weaver
Waugh presses government to ensure grooming inquiry tackles race and class ‘head on’

Rochdale MP Paul Waugh says national grooming inquiry must win survivors’ trust and 'follow the evidence wherever it leads’
Goodbye garlic bread? Sandbrook Park Pizza Hut to shut as 68 UK branches axed

Rochdale’s Pizza Hut restaurant is among dozens of UK branches set to permanently shut, after the company that operated the brand in the UK fell into administration.