Dacorum prepares for winter roads

That is how county council bosses have been readying themselves to keep the roads clear this winter.

The winter maintenance service is being coordinated across the county by contractor Ringway and crews have been on standby 24/7 since the beginning of October and will continue right through to the end of April.

Early forecasts suggest that December and perhaps into 
January will be mild, wet and windy, with weather possibly turning much colder through the latter half of January, into February and possibly into March.

Over an average winter, crews will be deployed about 60 times, usually at night. On every trip they will spread more than 300 tonnes of treated salt over 42 per cent of Hertfordshire’s road network - about 1,553 miles or the equivalent of Land’s End to John O’Groats - using 300 gallons of fuel.

Terry Douris, Herts 
County Council cabinet member for highways, said: “At this time of year we make sure our gritters are ready, our salt stocks high and the county’s 1,000-plus salt bins topped up.

“Salt is the best material we have to treat ice and snow, but it’s by no means perfect, so we recommend that residents take great care when driving or walking in ice or snow. Our website has plenty of advice to help everyone stay safe this winter, including information on clearing snow and ice from outside their homes, to staying safe on the roads. Visit www.hertsdirect.org/salting”