Gritters hit the roads as temperatures drop

This year the authority has invested in seven new gritting trucks and a new improved gritting salt which is cheaper and does a better job of evenly covering the roads. The salt barn at Makerfield Depot in Ince is currently filled with 3,500 tonnes of salt and nine council vehicles are ready to go.

Wigan borough’s road network is 646 miles long: the second longest in Greater Manchester. It is only main roads that are gritted, including bus routes and routes for 999 vehicles.

Residents can use their salt bins to grit local streets. The council is also encouraging people to be prepared and buy their own rock salt in advance of the cold snap to grit their own driveways and smaller streets.

This follows the national campaign last year from charity Living Streets for people to become “snow angels” and help clear the paths of elderly neighbours so they can leave their homes in the cold weather. If residents want to grit their own street and look after their neighbours the council will provide support including weather alerts.

Coun Kevin Anderson, cabinet member for environment, said: “We’re well prepared if cold weather does materialise. Our fleet of gritters, mechanical excavators and tractors are on standby 24 hours a day ready to treat the roads.”