Winter Road Maintenance
Winter maintenance is carried out from late October to late March. The roads are gritted and cleared by a priority route system.
Download the leaflet Winter Road
Treatment - Information on Services and Priority Routes (1 MB PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the council's priority routes for treatment?
How to use the map
- Use the map controls or click and drag the map to move around.
- Use the slider or wheel mouse to zoom in and out.
- Hold the SHIFT key and click and drag a box to zoom in.
- Click on a feature in the map to get further information.
- Give feedback or make a comment
When are the routes treated?
Details of hours of cover, 20 October 2011 - 29 March 2012
| Day | Category 1 Roads |
Category 2 Roads |
Category 1 Pavements & Footpaths |
Category 3 Roads, Pavements & Footpaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday-Friday | 0500-2300 | 0600-1600 | 0600-1800 | 0730-1600 |
| Saturday | 0500-2300 | 0500-0800 | 0600-1800 | Nil |
| Sunday | 0500-2300 | 0500-0800 | 0800-1800** | Nil |
| Public Holidays* | 0500-2300 | 0500-0800 | Nil | Nil |
| * Public holidays: 26/27 December 2011 and 2/3 January 2012 | ||||
| ** Except 25 December 2011 and 1 January 2012 | ||||
| No treatment is provided outwith the stated hours of cover. | ||||
The hours of cover detailed in the above table show the period within which the treatment of routes may take place. There is not continuous and complete cover during these times as a limited number of vehicles cannot be everywhere at the same time and vehicles have to refill with salt and fuel.
The table shows the earliest start times and the latest finish times - treatment at specific locations will depend on vehicle journey times. The frequency or continuation of treatment during these times will be determined by the prevailing weather conditions.
By providing this programme of treatment over the winter months Angus Council is using the resources available to provide efficient and effective winter maintenance to prevent, as far as we consider reasonably possible, snow and ice endangering the safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles over public roads.
Why isn't my road treated as a priority?
With 1780km (1200 miles) of roads and 800km (530miles) of footways in Angus, it is not possible to treat the entire road network at the same time. To ensure that salt stocks are used effectively the council prioritises its roads and pavement networks, with those carrying the most traffic being treated more often and longer than other routes.
We treat 950km as Category 1 and 2 routes for carriageways.
My road is a non-priority route. When will it be treated?
Non priority (category 3) routes are treated after category 1 & 2 routes, and only after other routes have been satisfactorily cleared during prolonged snow conditions.
When will our footway be gritted/cleared?
Adopted footways are also categorised into priority and non-priority routes. Priority is given to main thoroughfares in towns and larger villages. These routes vary between weekdays and weekends as patterns of use are different. It should be noted that this only applies to footways on the council's list of public roads.
Why haven't I seen a gritter in my area?
Gritters operate from 5 am in the morning throughout the day and up to 11 pm in the evening if necessary. They travel at normal speeds to cover the routes as quickly as possible. Depending on conditions, once treated a route may not be treated again. As routes are dealt with on a priority basis, it also depends where you live (see gritting route map above).
Is assistance given to emergency services during icy road conditions?
If emergency services are in need of assistance, they will contact us and we will attend, when required.
What forecasts does the council use to determine when to treat roads?
The council uses a specialist roads weather forecast which uses data from a network of sensors on the road and this is combined with thermal mapping to give very specific forecasts. The forecast predicts when ice will affect the road network and we treat accordingly. In addition once we have treated a road the salt can remain for some time unless we get rain/snow to wash it off the roads.
What happens when there's rainfall which later freezes?
These are very difficult weather conditions - any salt applied before the rain is washed off the road, and we can not treat the whole network instantly once it stops raining. We will treat the roads as soon as we practically can.
The road/footway has been treated - why is it still slippy?
The salt takes some time to act and is helped by traffic on the road, but at very low temperature (-6°C and below) it is less effective. You should take this into account when travelling and always drive in accordance with the conditions.
Why does the council sometimes treat roads when the temperatures are above zero?
It may be that the temperatures are forecast to drop later in the day/night. A difference of just 0.5°C can be all that it takes for forecast snow to become rain.
Why do you see gritters which aren't spreading?
The council's gritting routes include 'dead mileage' where routes overlap. With the various routes all setting off and returning to two main depots (Arbroath and Forfar), all of the gritters do not treat all of the routes which they travel over.
Alternatively the gritter may have completed its route and be returning to the depot where it will refill and go out again if necessary.
Where's my nearest grit bin?
View the list of Grit Bin Locations in Angus (100 KB PDF) Opens in a new window
Can our grit bin be filled?
Yes - please contact ACCESSLine on 08452 777 778 or complete the online enquiries & requests form and we will arrange for the grit bin to be filled. At busy times we may be dealing with a number of requests or other priorities for assistance and will deal with your request as soon as we can.
Can we get a grit bin, so we can clear the road ourselves?
The council has a policy of where it places grit bins and if you can provide the suggested location to ACCESSLine on 08452 777 778 or complete the online enquiries & requests form we will look at whether this location meets our policy and let you know as soon as we can. We will not be able to deploy new bins at busy times.
What advice can you give regarding me clearing the footway?
Scottish Government have offered advice and this can be found at Ready Scotland. We all have a responsibility to help reduce the impact of severe weather and the council and your neighbours will appreciate your help.
Will you clear my driveway/private road/path?
The council does not treat areas which are not owned by the council nor are on the council's list of public roads.
Can we use the grit in the grit bin, so we can clear my driveway/private road/path?
No - the grit is provided for community use on the public areas, not private paths and drives. Grit/Salt can be purchased from local stores including some supermarkets, DIY stores and garden centres.
Can we get salt from the council?
No - the council does not sell salt to the public and our supplies are based on the need to treat the road network. Grit/Salt can be purchased from local stores including some supermarkets, DIY stores and garden centres.
How should I prepare for winter travelling?
Scottish Government have a website giving advice on what you do to prepare and can be found at Ready Scotland.
How should I prepare my business for winter and possible travel problems?
Scottish Government have a website giving advice on what you do to prepare and can be found at Ready Scotland.
Is Angus Council responsible for the A90 and the A92 Dundee to Arbroath Dual Carriageway?
The A90 is a trunk road so is the responsibility of the Scottish Government and in Angus it is managed by BEAR Scotland Ltd on their behalf. The same company looks after the A92 between Dundee (Claypotts roundabout) and Arbroath (Elliot) on behalf of Angus Council and Dundee City Council.
- For day to day issues, enquiries or to report any defects on the A90 Trunk Road, please contact BEAR Scotland (24 hour cover) on 0800 587 1107 and 0800 028 1414.
- For the A92 Dundee to Arbroath Dual Carriageway, please contact BEAR Scotland (24 hour cover) on 0800 028 9843.
Who do I contact for further information?
Reporting a fault - use CLARENCE (0800 23 23 23) or ACCESSLine 08452 777 778
Service Page: winterroads.cfm
Service Details Last Reviewed : 27 September 2011
Adobe Reader is required to view the PDF documents on this page. If you don't have it, download it free from www.adobe.com.