Winter weather survey 2016

The survey was sent to all 174 highways authorities in England and Wales and 81 (47 per cent) responded.

Some of the main findings are summarised below:

Salt stocks

• 86 per cent of respondent authorities were planning either to have more salt in stock for winter 2016/17 than they did for winter 2015/16 (12 per cent) or the same amount of salt in stock (74 per cent).
• It is estimated that authorities aimed to have 1.2 million tonnes of salt in stock at October 2016. They had an estimated 1.1 million tonnes at October 2015, ordered a further 400,000 tonnes and used 500,000 tonnes during winter 2015/16.

Resources

• 88 per cent of respondents were planning to take action to reduce the risk of flooding on roads. Fifty-six per cent were planning to use gully-sucking lorries; 53 per cent were planning to use sandbags.

Innovative practice

• 64 per cent of respondents were planning to share resources with other councils or emergency services during winter 2016/17. Forty-seven per cent were planning to share salt.
• 75 per cent of respondents were planning to use GPS to make the gritting process more efficient; 60 per cent were planning to equip street cleaners with salt.
• 83 per cent were planning to use community grit bins for the public; 62 per cent were planning to provide salt to other local groups.

Communications

• 88 per cent of respondents were planning to communicate winter weather activity plans to local residents, and 86 per cent were planning to do likewise for local businesses.
• 84 per cent were planning live updates of activity for local residents, and 81 per cent were planning live updates for local businesses, mostly via Twitter (97 per cent), council websites (93 per cent), and local radio (56 per cent).

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