Road gritting
Winter Maintenance
Carriageway Treatment
If there is a forecast risk of snow or icy conditions, we treat roads that are on salting routes using rock salt. We cannot treat all of our roads, so our priority are roads such as vital link roads, bus routes, and busy high traffic roads. For further information on where we treat and why, please see the Winter Service Plan.
From October to April we receive regular forecast information from our weather service provider. This gives us the expected minimum road surface temperature (RST) and possibility of any snow/ice expected over the next 24 hours, and up to five days in advance. This information helps us to decide when we will need to treat roads, cycleways and footways.
Wherever possible, we treat roads on salting routes before the RST is forecast to fall below zero degrees Celsius. As the RST is different to the air temperature and can often be lower, we may treat roads when the air temperature is expected to remain above freezing as the RST could be lower.
Although we aim to treat roads to reduce the risk of ice forming, this does not guarantee that there will not be ice. Please always drive according to the road conditions.
Please note that Transport for London is responsible for clearing and gritting red route roads.
Map of our gritting & de-icing routes
You can view our gritting routes on our interactive map below.
Cycleway Treatment
As per the carriageway treatment guidelines, we also treat our segregated cycleway network. Segregated cycleways are dedicated cycle-only lanes. We treat these separately, as cycle lanes within the carriageway are treated during carriageway salting. We treat our cycleways differently to the carriageway by using liquid de-icer – this is much safer for cyclists, as bicycles cannot break down and activate rock salt the same way road vehicles can. Our de-icing mini-tractor vehicles are also fitted with a snow brush capable of clearing snow.
Footway Treatment
We cannot actively carry out pre-treatment of footways using rock salt or de-icer, but we do undertake clearing following prolonged periods of heavy snow and ice formation. For dedicated footway areas, slopes and foot bridges where ice and snow has formed, gritting will be undertaken by hand using street cleansing operatives using hand pushed carts. For further information on the areas we clear, please see the Winter Service Plan.
Salt Bins
We are in the process of re-introducing salt bins across our network at authorised priority locations. Salt bins are for use on the public highway only, and are maintained by the council.
For further information and guidance on how to apply for a salt bin and eligibility, please send an enquiry to WinterService@newham.gov.uk
