Winter gritting

During the winter period between late October and April, the Council provides a winter maintenance service to deal with ice and snow situations.

Using information supplied by the Met Office, precautionary salting is carried out typically when temperatures are forecast to fall close to or below zero degrees Celsius. For up to date weather forecast information please use the Met Office.

Precautionary salting is carried out on all principal, main and secondary distributor roads and roads with steep gradients. The 'Blue Routes' as they are titled encompass 145 miles of the boroughs road network.

When snow is forecast, precautionary salting is carried out where possible before the snow starts to fall. Depending on the amount of snow and the likely duration of the snow remaining on the ground, based on forecast temperatures and real time data from the boroughs weather station, salting becomes continuous and a 'snow emergency' is declared.

When a 'snow emergency' is declared, the contractors working in the highway street cleaning service are deployed on hand salting in shopping areas, outside schools, doctors surgeries, hospitals, residential homes and all other areas where it is considered appropriate.

To assist residents in off main route areas where salting is likely to be delayed for priority reasons, bins containing salt are situated at strategic locations throughout the borough and can be used for hand salting of the highway. The salt contained in the bins should not be used to cover private drives etc.

Residents wishing to purchase salt for their own use may do so at the Re-use and Recycling Centre at Foots Cray depot. Bagged salt and snow shovels are available to Bexley residents at cost price, on the production of ID.

A list of salt bin locations can be found under related downloads.