Temperatures have fallen dramatically in London this week, as the height of winter begins to settle in. The Met Office has issued warnings concerning the possibility of further harsh weather to come and, as a result, Hounslow council has called for the implementation of gritting services through its collaboration with Hounslow Highways and has ordered a thorough job.
The Met Office has declared a yellow warning of ice and fog between the 22:00 Wednesday 30th January and 11:00 Thursday 31st January. It is expecting that freezing fog will form overnight and that it will pose a challenge to clear the following morning. The Met Office therefore predicts that journeys might be delayed and that flights might be cancelled. Subsequently, a yellow warning of snow and ice between 13:00 Thursday 31st January and 9:00 Friday 1st February has been issued and it is anticipated that this will cause as much disruption as the first warning.
To address the problem, gritting work in Hounslow is scheduled to begin at 7pm on Tuesday 29th January with a team of 6 gritters taking to the streets and distributing rock salt in order to prevent the formation ice. Each year, at the beginning of the Winter season 1,200 tonnes of rock salt are stored at Ashmead Depot, and the stock is replenished whenever there is a spike demand. In circumstances such as these, the council judges whether gritting will be necessary by inspecting the 3 daily Met Office reports.
The council has explained that the principal targets for the gritters are main roads and classified roads, as well as certain portions of bus routes. The system is carefully planned out to ensure that vital zones such as hospitals, fire and police stations are exempt from any danger as the need for swift responses is critical and may, under no circumstances, be compromised. However, the road network in Hounslow spans over 268 miles and the council has stated that it cannot be feasibly covered in its entirety, given that expenditure and the time available is limited.
Moreover, Hounslow Highways highlighted that ‘a common misconception is that rock salt will immediately disperse ice and snow and that the roads are then safe to use normally.’ Because the company’s primary aim is to ensure public safety, it has dedicated a large section of its website to listing the necessary precautions to take in this kind of weather. For example, it recommends that, in adverse road conditions such as these, slower speeds should be maintained and that headlights should be used.
Overall, Hounslow council and its partnership with Hounslow Highways has been able to manage the situation well, prioritising the wellbeing of its residents. As the cold weather begins to harshen, the council will adapt its strategy and accommodate accordingly, calling upon both early and late at night gritting if needed.
